Sweden Is Rebuilding Its Total Defense Concept

Members of the Swedish defense are remodeling the country’s total defense concept, and during this process, leaders are witnessing a major conscience and culture shift taking place in the nation. Amid this transitional period, a sense of uncertainty also appears to be becoming ingrained among the Swedish people today. Officials credit this shift to the conflicts happening in several areas across the globe, especially the war between Russia and Ukraine, considering its proximity to Sweden.  

“Young children and the youth are very aware about the possibility of this becoming a war in Sweden,” Anna Laurell, head of Strategy, Security of Supply and Preparedness at the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, said during a panel at TechNet Europe 2026. “This is also part of our culture today, and this is something we talk about in families, and we have to answer the questions of the kids when they come home and they have talked about this in school, so I think we’re building a new conscience and a new culture, but this is part of the Swedish society of today.” 

The threat of war is pushing the nation to be ready.

“We also have politicians talking to the country, telling us about the possibility of this becoming a war in Sweden,” Laurell said. 

In addition to the Swedish government preparing for a potential war in their country, as briefly mentioned above, the nation’s youth are also staying informed about the Russia-Ukraine war due to geographic concern. Laurell said the threat of battle is creating a feeling in society that is different than when her generation was young. 

“I think the youth of today and small children of today are much more aware than we were when we were young, and even though they don’t have the same experience from the Cold War and all of the total defense, they watch TV and they watch the news and they see what’s happening,” Laurell said. “Even younger kids in Sweden are totally aware about the war in Ukraine and the war that’s going on in the Middle East and other parts of the world. This is something they see, and they know that Ukraine is close to Sweden.” 

If conflict does occur in Sweden, Laurell acknowledged that despite their best efforts, society will not be as effective. This shortcoming is not the end of the world, but if the time comes, they must adjust by selecting the essential society areas and businesses.  

“We know for sure that society is not going to function normally, so total defense planning—from a Swedish perspective—it’s more about prioritizing and planning for the most important societal functions, and the most important companies have to stay in place in order to provide services and so on for the most critical function of society,” Laurell said. 

She further stressed that “it’s about prioritizing, and it’s about what we call a wartime organization, where we prioritize our resources against what is most important for society, so it’s not about everything. It’s about the most important, and I think that’s a really good point to take in this.” 

There are 12 preparedness sectors in civil defense in Sweden: economic security; financial services; industry, building and commerce; rescue services and protection of the civil population; electronic communications and post; supply of basic data; food supply and drinking water; transport; energy supply; health, care and social welfare; order and security; and foreign trade, according to the panelists’ presentation.  

Laurell said they have an organization and structures in place in which civil defense personnel share information and collaborate and plan with the military defense.  

TechNet Europe 2026, taking place in Berlin, is an international event organized by AFCEA Europe in cooperation with the AFCEA Bonn E.V. Chapter. SIGNAL Media is the official media of AFCEA International.