Swedish coastal artillery
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The Swedish coastal artillery has its origin in the Archipelago Artillery that was founded in 1866. The Coastal Artillery was formed from the Archipelago Artillery, the Navy Infantry and parts of the Artillery in 1902, Kustartilleriet or KA as its know as was up to July 1st 2000 a independent branch within the Swedish Navy. After July 1st 2000 the Swedish coastal artillery was reformed and renamed to the amfibiekåren Swedish Amphibious Corps.
The changed name and new structure was to reflect the new tasks that the old Coastal Artillery had moved to after the end of the Cold war and the demise of the Soviet Union/Warsaw Pact.
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[edit] History
[edit] The early years
KA or Kustartilleriet can trace its traditions as far back as the old costal fortresses that were in use around Sweden since the 15th century. In the old days these would have been under the command structure of the fortress artillery department. The real first move to an independent branch was the creation of the Vaxholms Artillerikår in 1889. Before this all artillery units that were stationed on costal defense fortresses or city fortresses were under the command of the fortress artillery department who in turn was a branch of the artillery department. Since the establishment of the fixed mine defense units during the 1800- century the question of a independent branch of the Swedish armed forces was again raised, This resulted in the creation of the creation of the modern Coastal Artillery in 1902. The Swedish coastal artillery was not created as a fully independent branch of the Swedish armed forces but as independent branch within the Swedish Navy. The units created out of the Fortress artillery corps from the army at Vaxholms and Karlskrona was merged with the Navy’s fixed mine companies.
[edit] The modern Swedish coastal artillery is born
The Swedish coastal artillery was not created as a fully independent branch of the Swedish armed forces but as independent branch within the Swedish Navy. The units created out of the Fortress artillery corps from the army at Vaxholms and Karlskrona was merged with the Navy’s fixed mine companies and this resulted in the creation of the first two regiments one at Vaxholms (KA-1) and one at Karlskrona (KA-2).
Detachments out of the two regiments were also responsible for keeping units at Fårösunds (Gotland) and at Älvsborgs costal fortresses in located in the main shipping channel into Gothenburg. During the First World War it was also decided that the area of responsibility should also include the stationing of units at Hemsö and at Luleå.
[edit] World War I
Under Construction
[edit] Interwar years
Under Construction
[edit] World War II
After a reduction in units after the 1925 defense proposition there was a significant expansion of both regiments and Units in all the branches of the Swedish armed forces.
Under Construction
[edit] Cold War
Under Construction
With the advent of Marinplan 60 there was a move towards standardization of equipment and an increase in mobile units, one of the most significant additions to the Swedish Coastal artillery during the 1950’s was the creation of the Costal Ranger companies (Kustjägare) as a mobile reconnaissance and attack component.
The Swedish Coastal artillery was up to the middle of the 1990’s mostly a collection of fixed and mobile units located in the different Swedish archipelagos. There main purpose of the Swedish Coastal artillery was to defend and maintain a visible presence in the Swedish archipelago and even in peace time maintain a high level of readiness, Units that where stationed around the more important shipping lanes and other naval installations around Sweden where even in peace times fully manned
During the 1980’s there was a general move towards modernization in the Swedish defense forces and the Coastal artillery received several new weapons systems, like the mobile artillery system 12/80 and the most of the new 12/70 fixed artillery systems where completed during the early part of the 1980’s. The coastal artillery also modernized its ASW or anti-submarine capabilities in a response to the submarine incursions that plagued Sweden during the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Also this was a step towards an increased ability to monitor and maintain high level of surveillance of Sweden’s harbors and shipping lanes against any foreign undersea aggression or incursionin into Swedish territorial waters.
The Swedish Coastal artillery was in a constant level of development during the last century as the treat levels changed around the world, the main treat to Sweden after the 2nd world war was the threat of a war in Europe. Even if Sweden had not been directly involved any hostilities there was always a risk of war if not the treat of the incursion into the Sweden of a foreign power durning a major war in Europe.
[edit] Swedish Amphibious Corps
[edit] Swedish Coastal artillery Regiments 1902-2000
More to come
