Organisation

Political leadership

The political leadership of the Ministry of Defence consists of two ministers and two state secretaries.

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson is head of ministry and the minister responsible for military defence. Peter Sandwall is State Secretary to the Minister for Defence.

Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin is the minister responsible for civil defence and crisis preparedness. Johan Berggren is State Secretary to the Minister for Civil Defence.

The state secretaries assist the ministers with planning, coordination and follow-up of activities. To assist them on policy issues, the political leadership has political advisers and press secretaries.

A chief of staff leads the political staff.

Non-politically appointed officials

The non-politically appointed senior officials in the Ministry are the Director-General for Administrative Affairs and the Director-General for Legal Affairs.

The Director-General for Administrative Affairs assists the state secretaries in leading and coordinating the work within the Ministry. The Director-General for Administrative affairs ensures lawful, consistent and uniform preparation of matters, except in the case of laws and other statutes. 

The Director-General for Legal Affairs examines proposals for laws and other statutes, and monitors lawful, consistent and uniform preparation of legislative matters.

Divisions, departments and secretariats

The Ministry of Defence is divided into four divisions and two secretariats. Each division is led by a head of division who coordinates work within and between divisions and is responsible for planning and policy development within the division’s area of responsibility. Each department and secretariat is led by a head of department, who is also the principal for their department’s policy areas. Both heads of division and heads of department are non-political officials. The Legal Secretariat, however, has several principals.

Legal Secretariat

The Legal Secretariat’s responsibilities include preparing proposals for referral to the Council on Legislation, drafting government bills and other legislative work, and matters concerning statutory preparedness, international law, international humanitarian law, matters concerning the release of official documents, and coordinating information circulated from other ministries.

The Secretariat is also responsible for advising the ministry leadership and other departments on legal matters and participating in other departments’ work on international agreements.

Secretariat for Budget Management and Management Support

The Secretariat for Budget Management and Management Support is responsible for coordinating financial management and for internal governance processes at the Ministry. 

The Secretariat is also responsible for the Ministry’s internal budget, operational planning and financial administration, and issues concerning IT and premises. The main budget coordinator and the encryption centre belong to the Secretariat.

Division for Security Policy

Department for International Relations

The Department for International Relations is responsible for issues concerning security policy and development and coordination of international defence cooperation. It is also responsible for international military operations and access issues.

The Department has a protocol unit responsible for supporting the planning and implementation of the Ministry’s incoming high-level visits and outgoing official visits.

Department for Strategic Analysis

The Department for Strategic Analysis is responsible for analysis within the Ministry’s entire area of responsibility. The Department’s other responsibilities include developing methodological support and supporting other divisions in their long-term planning. It is also responsible for the Secretariat of the Defence Commission.

Division for Defence Intelligence, Security and Cyber Affairs

Department for Foreign Intelligence

The Department for Foreign Intelligence is tasked with continuously monitoring, directing and developing foreign intelligence operations, and is responsible for the Ministry’s preparedness.

Department for Cyber and Hybrid Affairs

The Department for Cyber and Hybrid Affairs is responsible for coordinating, steering and addressing issues concerning cyber defence, information and cyber security, psychological defence and hybrid affairs.

Division for Military Defence

Department for Armament and Industry

The Department for Armament and Industry is responsible for materiel supply and military defence research and development. 

The Department’s responsibilities also include issues concerning military defence innovation, critical technologies for materiel supply, international materiel cooperation, the defence industry, export support and coordination of space issues within the Ministry’s area of responsibility.

Department for Military Capability

The Department for Military Capability is responsible for issues concerning military capability. Its responsibilities also include the military defence’s war organisation, peacetime organisation and capability development, military operations and activities, military mobility, logistics, infrastructure and host country support, military defence personnel supply and the military defence’s support to society.

Division for Civil Defence

Department for Total Defence Planning and Development

The Department for Total Defence Planning and Development is responsible for coordination of civil defence, coordination between military defence and civil defence within the scope of total defence, and civil defence’s support to military defence. 

The Department is also responsible for civil crisis preparedness coordination and measures to develop, follow up and strengthen society’s crisis preparedness and civil defence.

Department for Civil Protection

The Department for Civil Protection is responsible for safeguards against accidents, rescue services, protection of the civilian population and certain specific issues within the Ministry’s area of responsibility concerning crisis preparedness and civil defence. 

The Department is also responsible for issues concerning public alerts, dangerous substances, chemical, biological, radiological nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) substances, transportation of dangerous goods, maritime surveillance and marine environmental and international emergency response.