Military ranks of the Swedish Armed Forces

Military ranks of the Swedish Armed Forces shows the rank system used in the Swedish Armed Forces today, as well as changes during the 20th century due to changes in the personnel structure.

Current ranks

Since 2009, there are three categories of ranks, Officerare, Specialistofficerare and GSS- Gruppbefäl, soldater och sjömän


Officerare (Officers)

Officers lead units from platoon and up. They are trained at the Military Academy Karlberg in a three-year academic program(180 ECTS credits) and graduate as fänrik. Cadets with no prior service must complete a 6-9 months preparatory course before they start at the academy.

Specialistofficerare (Senior NCOs, lit. Specialist Officers)

Specialistofficerare are educated at specialist schools and centres for 1,5 years and graduate as Förste Sergeant. Experienced soldiers who have served as corporals and sergeants may take a shortened course. Civilians must complete a preparatory course before the 1,5 year specialist training starts.

GSS - Gruppbefäl, soldater och sjömän (junior NCOs, soldiers and seamen, lit. Squad leaders, soldiers and seamen)

The two highest ranks in this category, korpral and sergeant, form their own sub-category, gruppbefäl. They command squads of approx. 8 men. Ordinary soldiers are given the rank menig 1 klass with different insignia depending on how long they have served.


When the professional NCO corps was reintroduced in 2009 it was decided that some ranks in this category should, like the old underofficerare ranks in 1960-1972, have a relative rank higher than the most junior officers. The current relative ranks are shown in the table below.

OF
(Officer Ranks)		 Other Ranks
(Specialistofficerare)
OF-9 (General, Amiral)
OF-8 (Generallöjtnant, Viceamiral)
OF-7 (Generalmajor, Konteramiral)
OF-6 (Brigadgeneral, Flottiljamiral)
OF-5 (Överste, Kommendör)
OF-4 (Överstelöjtnant, Kommendörkapten)
  OR-9 (Regements-/Flottiljförvaltare)
OF-3 (Major, Örlogskapten)  
OF-2 (Kapten)
  OR-8 (Förvaltare)
OF-1 (Löjtnant)
  OR-7 (Fanjunkare)
OF-1 (Fänrik)  
  OR-6 (Förste Sergeant)
GSS - Squad leaders, soldiers and seamen
OR-5 (Sergeant)
OR-4 (Korpral)
OR-3 (Vice korpral)
OR-2 (Menig 1kl)
OR-1 (Menig)

Rank insignias

The table below shows ranks according to seniority, with the most senior to the right. OF denotes officers, OR other ranks (as per STANAG 2116). Those ranks were ratified by the supreme commander on October 24, 2008, and became effective as of January 1, 2009.[1] Military ranks of (primarily) Great Britain have been used as a basis for harmonization with NATO.

Officers
Equivalent
NATO Code 		OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF(D) & Student officer
Sweden Sweden
(Edit)		 No Equivalent
General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Brigadgeneral Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik Kadett
Sweden Sweden
(Edit)		 No equivalent
General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Brigadgeneral Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik
Sweden Sweden
(Edit)		 No equivalent No equivalent
Amiral Viceamiral Konteramiral Flotiljamiral Komendör Komendörkapten Örlogskapten Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik
Equivalent
NATO Code 		OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF(D) & Student officer
Enlisted
Equivalent
NATO Code		OR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
Sweden Sweden
(Edit)		 Branch insignia
Regementsförvaltare Förvaltare Fanjunkare Förste sergeant Sergeant Korpral Vicekorpral Menig 1 klass Menig
Equivalent
NATO Code		OR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
Sweden Sweden
(Edit)
Flottilj-förvaltare Förvaltare Fanjunkare Förste sergeant Sergeant Korpral Vicekorpral Menig 1kl Menig
Equivalent
NATO Code		OR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
Sweden Sweden
(Edit)
Flottilj-förvaltare Förvaltare Fanjunkare Förste Sergeant Sergeant Korpral Vicekorpral Sjöman 1 klass Sjöman
Army
and
Amphibious
Corps		 Gruppbefäl & Soldater Specialistofficerare Officerare
OR-1 OR-2 OR-3 OR-4 OR-5 OR-6 OR-7 OR-8 OR-9 OF-1 OF-2 OF-3 OF-4 OF-5 OF-6 OF-7 OF-8 OF-9
Branch
insignia1
Menig Menig 1kl2 Vicekorpral Korpral Sergeant Förste sergeant Fanjunkare Förvaltare Regements-
förvaltare		 Fänrik Löjtnant Kapten Major Överste-
löjtnant		 Överste Brigad-
general		 General-
major		 General-
löjtnant		 General
Navy Gruppbefäl & Sjömän Specialistofficerare Officerare
OR-1 OR-2 OR-3 OR-4 OR-5 OR-6 OR-7 OR-8 OR-9 OF-1 OF-2 OF-3 OF-4 OF-5 OF-6 OF-7 OF-8 OF-9
Sjöman Sjöman 1kl2 Vicekorpral Korpral Sergeant Förste Sergeant Fanjunkare Förvaltare Flottilj-
förvaltare		 Fänrik Löjtnant Kapten Örlogskapten Kommendör-
kapten		 Kommendör Flottilj-
amiral		 Konter-
amiral		 Viceamiral Amiral
Air
force		 Gruppbefäl & soldater Specialistofficerare Officerare
OR-1 OR-2 OR-3 OR-4 OR-5 OR-6 OR-7 OR-8 OR-9 OF-1 OF-2 OF-3 OF-4 OF-5 OF-6 OF-7 OF-8 OF-9
Menig Menig 1kl2 Vicekorpral Korpral Sergeant Förste sergeant Fanjunkare Förvaltare Flottilj-
förvaltare		 Fänrik Löjtnant Kapten Major Överste-
löjtnant		 Överste Brigad-
general		 General-
major		 General-
löjtnant		 General
Officer Trainees
Officer Cadets
OR-2 OR-3 OR-4 OR-5
Officer Candidate First Year Second Year Third Year
Home
Guard		 Home Guard Soldiers
OR-1 OR-2 OR-4 OR-5 OR-6 OR-7 OR-8 OF-1 OF-2 OF-3
Menig Menig 1kl Korpral Sergeant Förste sergeant Fanjunkare Förvaltare Fänrik Löjtnant Kapten Major
1 Menig wear branch insignia (see table below).
2 Menig 1kl are given one additional bar/stripe after 3, 5 and 7 years of service (see table below) without advancement in rank, seniority and skill level.
Branch insignias
Infantry Cavalry Artillery Armored Air-Defense Engineering Signal Supply Amphibious
Years in service insignias for Menig 1kl
Army, Amphibious Corps Navy Air force

Distribution of personnel vs ranks

Since the end of the Cold War, Sweden has gradually abolished the mass-mobilization system based on national service and universal military training of all young males, through a system of selective draft of an increasingly lower proportion of available manpower, to a system based on volunteer enlistment. Concomitantly a large reduction of forces and capabilities has occurred, as well as a substantial increase of participation in "hot" international operations. Reflecting these new conditions a new personnel structure was introduced in 2009 (see historical section below), emphasizing junior leadership and specialist competence through the re-creation of a NCO Corps. As a result, there is a large surplus of older soldiers of officer rank that either will have to be phased out through early retirement or converted into non-commissioned officers.

Personnel[2] [3] [4] [5]
Officers, including reserve officers 2009[2] 2010[3] 2011[4] 2012[5]6
OF-9General / Admiral 22 3 1 3 1
OF-7 - OF-8 Maj, General / Rear Admiral, Lt. General / Vice Admiral4043 21 20
OF-6Brigadier General / Rear Admiral LH 858646 47
OF-5 Colonel / Captain (N) 268263192187
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel / Commander 1,1741,2171,1831,181
OF-3 Major / Lieutenant Commander 3,0532,891 2,725 2,667
OF-2 Captain / Lieutenant (N) 7,5867,4337,026 6,936
OF-1 Lieutenant / Sub Lieutenant 5,6525,428 5,093 4,981
OF-1 Second Lieutenant / Acting Sub Lieutenant 571749810 785
OR-9 Regimental Sergeant Major / Command Master Chief Petty Officer 0 0 0 0
OR-8 Sergeant Major / Master Chief Petty Officer '00 2 5
OR-7 Colour Sergeant 218 1 6
OR-6 First Sergeant 26089+(427) 334 531
OF-OR Other officers 74 146
Total number of officers 18,71218,636 17,508 17,494
GSS - Soldiers, seamen, specialists and squad leaders 4
OR-5 Sergeant 7705 9095 3072 3222
1,637 3 4,148 3
OR-4 Corporal
OR-3 Lance Corporal
OR-2 Private 1st class
OR-1 Private
Total number of soldiers, seamen, specialists and squad leaders 770 909 1,637 4,148
1 The King of Sweden, the supreme commander, and the former supreme commander serving in the EU as general, retaining his Swedish rank of general.
2 Sergeant (OR5) is a GSS rank, but the number is included in the table for professional officers in the annual report.
3 The annualized sum of all GSS personnel, including readiness personnel (beredskaps BSA) 607, augmentees (förstärknings FS) 477 and personnel abroad (US) 555. Disclaimer: Personnel serving abroad (US) may also consist of former professional officers serving in officer ranks. It is not clear whether the number also includes sergeants (OR5), which are recorded separately in the table "professional officers" of the annual report. Thus, the number could as well be 1,637 - 307 = 1,337.
4 This constitute the number of GSS/K, continuously serving personnel. GSS/T (reserve personnel serving some days a year) is an emerging category personnel that was not possible to measure at the time the annual report was published.
5 The sum of all personnel between OR1 and OR5, including readiness personnel (beredskaps BSA), augmentees (förstärknings FS) and personnel serving abroad (US). Disclaimer: Personnel serving abroad (US) may also consist of former professional officers serving in officer ranks.
6 This includes officers serving at times (T) as of the annual report for 2011.
Officer candidates[2][3]
Officer candidates who graduate as Fanrik 2010 107
Officer candidates who graduate as Fanrik 2011 117
Officer candidates who graduate as Fanrik 2012 163
S-Officer candidates who graduate as First Sergeant 2010 317
Total officer candidates 704

Translation to English

This table shows the official translations[6] of the Swedish ranks and their abbreviations.

Translation of OR, Other Ranks to English
Code Swedish Rank Army Navy Amphibious Corps Airforce
OR-1 Menig Private Pte Seaman S Marine M Airman Amn
OR-2 Menig 1.kl Private First Class PFC Seaman First Class SFC Marine First Class MFC Airman First Class AFC
OR-3 Vicekorpral Lance Corporal LCpl Able Seaman AS Lance Corporal LCpl Senior Airman SrA
OR-4 Korpral Corporal Cpl Able Seaman First Class ASFC Corporal Cpl Corporal Cpl
OR-5 Sergeant Sergeant Sgt Leading Seaman LS Sergeant Sgt Sergeant Sgt
OR-6 1:e Sergeant Sergeant First Class SgtFC Petty Officer PO Sergeant First Class SgtFC Sergeant First Class SgtFC
OR-7 Fanjunkare Colour Sergeant CSgt Chief Petty Officer CPO Colour Sergeant CSgt Colour Sergeant CSgt
OR-8 Förvaltare Sergeant Major WO2 Warrant Officer WO Sergeant Major WO2 Sergeant Major WO2
OR-9 Regementsförvaltare
Flottiljförvaltare2
 Regimental Sergeant Major WO1 Chief Warrant Officer CWO Regimental Sergeant Major WO1 Wing Sergeant Major WO1
Translation of OF, Officer Ranks to English
Code Swedish Rank Army Navy Amphibious Corps Airforce
OF-1 Fänrik Second Lieutenant 2Lt Acting Sub-Lieutenant ASLt Second Lieutenant 2Lt Second Lieutenant 2Lt
OF-1 Löjtnant Lieutenant Lt Sub-Lieutenant SLt Lieutenant Lt Lieutenant Lt
OF-2 Kapten Captain Capt Lieutenant (N)3 Lt (N)3 Captain Capt Captain Capt
OF-3 Major
Örlogskapten1		 Major Maj Lieutenant Commander LtCdr Major Maj Major Maj
OF-4 Överstelöjtnant
Kommendörkapten1		 Lieutenant Colonel LtCol Commander Cdr Lieutenant Colonel LtCol Lieutenant Colonel LtCol
OF-5 Överste
Kommendör1		 Colonel Col Captain (N)3 Capt (N)3 Colonel Col Colonel Col
OF-6 Brigadgeneral
Flottiljamiral1		 Brigadier General BGen Rear Admiral
(lower half)		 RAdm (LH) Brigadier General BGen Brigadier General BGen
OF-7 Generalmajor
Konteramiral1		 Major General MajGen Rear Admiral RAdm Major General MajGen Major General MajGen
OF-8 Generallöjtnant
Viceamiral1		 Lieutenant General LtGen Vice Admiral VAdm Lieutenant General LtGen Lieutenant General LtGen
OF-9 General
Amiral1		 General Gen Admiral Adm General Gen General Gen
1 used in the Navy.
2 used in the Navy and Air Force.
3 for clarification of ranks, personnel in Navy appends (N) after rank or abbreviation.

Historic ranks

When an army based on national service (conscription) was introduced in 1901 all commissioned officers had ranks that were senior to the warrant officers (underofficerare) and non-commissioned officers (underbefäl). In a reform 1926 the relative rank of the then senior warrant officer, fanjunkare, was increased to be equal with the junior officer rank underlöjtnant and above the most junior officer rank fänrik. In 1960 the relative rank of the warrant officers were elevated further so that

i. The lowest warrant officer, sergeant, had relative rank just below the lowest officer rank, fänrik.

ii. The second warrant officer rank, fanjunkare, had relative rank between fänrik and löjtnant.

iii. The highest warrant officer rank, förvaltare, had relative rank between first lieutenant and captain.

In 1972 the personnel structure changed, reflecting increased responsibilities of warrant and non-commissioned officers, renaming the underofficerare as kompaniofficerare, giving them the same ranks as company grade officers (fänrik, löjtnant, kapten). Underbefäl was renamed plutonsofficerare and given the rank titles of sergeant and fanjunkare, although their relative ranks were now placed below fänrik. The commissioned officers were renamed regementsofficerare, beginning with löjtnant. The three-track career system was maintained, as well as three separate messes.

A major change in the personnel structure in 1983 (NBO 1983), merged the three professional corps of platoon officers, company officers, and regimental officers into a one-track career system within a single corps called professional officers (yrkesofficerare). The three messes were also merged to one.

Ranks 1983 - 2009

National Servicemen
Värnpliktiga 		National Service Officers
Värnpliktsofficerare
Professional Officers (one-track officer system)
Yrkesofficerare (enhetsbefäl)
Army
Trainee
ranks		Menig3

Korpral		Furir

Cadet1		Överfurir4Sergeant

Cadet2
1st year		Fanjunkare4

Cadet2
2nd year		FänrikLöjtnantKaptenMajorÖverste-
löjtnant		ÖversteÖverste 1grBrigad-
general		General-
major		General-
löjtnant		General

Ranks 1972 - 1983

National Servicemen (Värnpliktiga)National Service Officers (Värnpliktsofficerare)
Platoon Officers
(Plutonsofficerare NCO) 		Company Officers
(Kompaniofficerare Limited Duty Officers)
Regimental Officers (Regementsofficerare Officers)
Regular
ranks
Trainee
ranks		Menig

Korpral		FurirÖverfurir

Kadett1		Sergeant

Kadett2-3		FanjunkareFänrikLöjtnantKaptenMajor
Örlogs-
kapten		Överste-
löjtnant
Kommendör-
kapten		Överste
Kommendör		Överste
1gr
Kommendör
1gr		General-
major
Konter-
amiral		General-
löjtnant
Viceamiral		General
Amiral

Ranks 1953 - 1972

National Servicemen (Värnpliktiga) National Service W.O. (Värnpliktiga underofficerare) National Service Officers (Värnpliktiga officerare)
Underbefäl (NCO) Underofficerare (Warrant Officers) Officerare (Commissioned Officers)
Regular
ranks
Trainee
ranks		Menig

Vicekorpral		KorpralFurirÖverfurirRustmästareSergeant

Kadett1-2		FanjunkareFörvaltareFänrikLöjtnantKaptenMajor
Örlogs-
kapten		Överste-
löjtnant
Komendör-
kapten		Överste
Komendör		General-
major
Konter-
amiral		General-
löjtnant
Viceamiral		General
Amiral

Note that the rank of Fältmarskalk (Field Marshal) was a de jure rank before the reform of 1972, even though it has not been used since 1824.

References

  1. ↑ Lieutenant Colonel Landström, Matthias (April 2008). "Utveckling av tvåbefälssystemet i Försvarsmakten 16100:66576": 5.
  2. 1 2 3 http://www.mil.se/upload/dokumentfiler/Årsredovisningar/Årsredovisning%202008/Bilaga%203%20Årsredovisning%202008.pdf
  3. 1 2 3 http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/upload/dokumentfiler/%C3%85rsredovisningar/%C3%85rsredovisning%202009/%C3%85R%2009%20bilaga%202.pdf
  4. 1 2 http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/upload/dokumentfiler/Årsredovisningar/Årsredovisning 2010/Bilaga 2 ÅR 2010.pdf
  5. 1 2 http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/upload/dokumentfiler/Årsredovisningar/Årsredovisning%202011/Bilaga2.pdf
  6. ↑ Translation of ranks to English
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