The Swedish Navy (Marinen) was divided into the coast defense (Kustartelleriet) and the fleet (Flottan).

The fleet was divided into two parts, the coastal fleet (Kustflottan), which consisted of the most modem ships, and the regional forces (Lokalstyrkorna) which mostly consisted of old (sometimes very old) ships. The coastal fleet was armed during peacetime, but ships in the regional forces were kept in reserve and not much money was spent on their modernization. Thus they were all in bad or very bad shape when the war broke out. In an open conflict they would have been of very limited use, but during the neutrality watch they did good work.

In September 1939 the coastal fleet consisted of three WWI coast defense ships, one modern aircraft cruiser, one old minelayer/cruiser, two old and five newer destroyers and three modern and five older submarines. The regional forces consisted of five coast defense ships, eight destroyers, six submarines, six minesweepers and some additional vessels.

When the war broke out some ships were already under construction and more were ordered, including four destroyers and four motor torpedo boats (MTBs) from Italy.

During the war Swedish shipyards built one minecruiser/layer, eleven destroyers, 19 submarines, 12 bigger and 24 smaller minesweepers and 15 MTBs. At the same time one coast defense ship, three destroyers (one sunk) and eight submarines (two sunk) were decommissioned.

One big problem for the fleet was the shortage of oil, which forced it to restrict the number of exercises in open water and spend more time at the bases. The fleet's major bases were Horsfjarden south of Stockholm and Karlskrona in the southeast comer of Sweden. There was also a naval station in Goteborg on the west coast which became more important after the German invasion of Norway.

Significant Swedish warships included:

Sverige:: 7200 tons, 23 knots, 4-283mm, 6-152mm, 4-75mm AA, 6-40mm AA, 4-25mm AA, 3-20mm AA.
Sisters: Drottning Victoria, Gustaf V. These coast defense battleships were built during W W 1 and were the core of the coastal fleet. They were still in good shape despite their age.

Fylgia: 4980 tons, 22 knots, 8-152mm, 4-57mm AA, 4-40mm AA, 2-25mm AA, 2 torpedo tubes, depth charge launcher. Lightly armored cruiser launched in 1905. She had been reduced to reserve status, but she was modernized from autumn 1939 to November 1941 and reentered active service.
Clas Fleming: 1640 tons, 20 knots, 4-120mm, 3-40mm AA, depth charge launcher, 200 mines. Launched 1912 as a "minecruiser," she would lay minefields in time of war. Rebuilt from November 1939 to August 1940. Prior to that, had no depth charge launchers and had 4-6.5mm instead of her 40mms.
Gotland: 4600 tons, 27 knots, 6-152 mm, 4-75mm AA, 4-25mm AA, 6 torpedo tubes, 100 mines. This unusual ship was launched 1933 as an aircraft cruiser. She had space for 8 reconnaissance planes of type S9, Hawker Osprey, but only six were delivered. The planes were launched from a catapult at the stem. The ship was rebuilt during the winter of 1943-44 into an anti-aircraft cruiser. The aircraft, 2-152 mm, 475mm AA and 4-25mm AA were removed, and 8-40mm, 6-25mm AA and 1-20mm AA were installed instead.
Wale class: 416 tons, 31 knots, 3-75mm, 2-25mm AA, 4 torpedo tubes.
Sisters: Ragnar, Vidar, Sigurd, Hugin, Mugin. Destroyers launched 1907-11. Wale and Munin. Was decommissioned 18 October 1940.

Wrangel class: 498 tons, 34 knots, 4-75mm, 1-25mm AA, 6 torpedo tubes.
Sister Wachtmeister. Destroyers launched 1917.

Ehrenskold class: 1000 tons, 36 knots, 3-120mm, 4-25mm AA, 6 torpedo tubes, 20 mines. Sister Nordenskjold. Destroyers launched 1926.
Klas Horn class: 1020 tons, 36 knots, 3-120mm, 4-25mm AA, 6 torpedo tubes, 45 mines.
Sister Klas Uggla. Destroyers launched 1931. Klas Uggla sunk and lost 6 June 1942 after an accident in Horsfjarden. Klas Horn sunk in same accident, but was salvaged, repaired and recommissioned 25 December 1943.

Goteborg class: 1240 tons, 39 knots, 3-120mm, 6-25mm AA, 6 torpedo tubes, 45 mines.
Sisters: Stockholm, Malmo, Karlskrona, Norrkoping, Gavle. Destroyers launched 1935-40. Goteborg sunk 6 June 1942 in the accident mentioned above, but was salvaged and recommissioned 18 September 1943.

Visby class: 1320 tons, 39 knots, 3-120mm, 4-40mm AA, 4-20mm AA, 6 torpedo tubes, 45 mines.
Sisters: Sundsvall, Helsingborg and Kalmar. A modified version of the Goteborgclass destroyers launched 1942-43.

Puke class: 1480 tons, 4-120mm, 2-40mm AA, 4 torpedo tubes, 30 mines.
Sister Psilander. Both were ex-Italian ships (Sella-class) launched 1926 with original names: Bettino Ricasoli and Giovanni Nicotera. The ships entered Swedish service 27 March 1940 in La Spezia.

Romulus class: 900 tons, 34 knots, 3-100mm, 6-20mm AA, 4 torpedo tubes, 28 mines.
Sister Remus. Ex-Italian Spica and Astore (Spica-class). In Italy these ships were classified as torpedo boats. Both ships launched 1934 and entered Swedish service 27 March 1940 in La Spezia.

Mjolner class:785 tons, 30 knots, 3-105mm, 2-40mm AA, 2-20mm AA, 6 torpedo tubes, 42 mines.
Sisters: Mode, Magne and Munin. Destroyers launched 1942.

Sjolejonet class: 580/760 tons, 16/9 knots, 2-40mm AA, 6-533mm tubes.
Sisters: Sjobjornen, Sjohunden, Svardfisken, Tumlaren, Dykaren, Sjohasten, Sjoormen, Sjoborren. Swedish-built submarines commissioned 1938-42.

Draken class: 667/850 tons, knots, 1-105mm gun, 4-533mm tubes.
Sisters: Gripen, Ulven. Swedish-built submarines, commissioned 1928-31. Ulven was sunk April 1943, when she struck a German mine.
Delfinen class: 540/720 tons, knots, 1-57mm AA, 1-25mm AA, 4-533mm tubes, mines. Sisters: Nordkaparen, Springaren. Swedish-built submarines commissioned 1936-37.

The mission of the coast defense was to defend especially important and threatened parts of the coast such as the larger ports, the naval bases and the sea approaches to Stockholm, Goteborg and Karlskrona.

This was done with a combination of fixed guns at places always needing a defense, towed guns that could move between different coastal areas when the threat changed, and minefields in important straits. The artillery pieces were usually old pieces from decommissioned warships, but there were also some guns and howitzers built especially for a coastal artillery role.

At different times as shown, the number of pieces were:

Number of Artillery Pieces in Different Years
Caliber	1939	1942	1945
21cm +	15	21	21
12cm & 15cm	57	79	83
8cm & 57mm	70	141	194
Number of batteries	40	90	109



Partial Bibliography

Armens Pansarcentrum; Pansartrupperna 1942-1992; Vitstervik, Sweden: 1992.
Borgenstam, Curt; Jagare; Marinlitteratur-fbreningen, Vastra Frolunda, Sweden: 1989.
Borgenstam,Curt;Kryssare; Marinlitteratur-foreningen, Vastra Frolunda,Sweden: 1993.
Danckwardt, Jean-Carlos; Kustartilleriet i Sverige under andra vdrldskriget; Marinlitteraturforeningen, Karlskrona 1992.
Helitz, Carl ed; Luftvdrnets historia; MilitArhistoriska Forlaget, Stockholm, Sweden: 1980.
Lagvall, Bertil; Flottans neutralitetsvakt 1939-1945; Marinlitteraturforeningen, Stockholm, Sweden: 1991.
MilitArhistoriska avdelningen, MHS; Sveriges militdra beredskap 1939-1945; Milithrhistoriska Forlaget, Stockholm: 1982.
Miller, David; Submarines of the World; Salamander Books Ltd, London: 1991.
Nordberg, Erik; Flyg i beredskap; All-manna forlaget, Stockholm, Sweden: 1971.

Swedish Armed Forces 1939-45

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