View source for Chief of Defence (Sweden)

{{Short description|Highest-ranking professional military officer in the Swedish Armed Forces}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Chief of Defence
| body = the Swedish Armed Forces
| native_name = {{small|''Överbefälhavaren''}}
| insignia = 
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = 
| flag = Kommandotecken Överbefälhavaren.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagborder = 
| flagcaption = Command flag of the Chief of Defence
| image = Lieutenant General Michael Claesson, Chief of the Defense Staff, Armed Forces of Sweden, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. on January 22, 2024 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = 
| incumbent = General [[Michael Claesson]]
| acting = 
| incumbentsince = 1 October 2024
| department = [[Swedish Armed Forces]]
| style = 
| type = 
| status = 
| abbreviation = 
| member_of = 
| reports_to = The [[Government of Sweden|Government]]<br/>{{nobreak|{{small|(in practice through the [[Minister for Defence (Sweden)|Minister for Defence]])}}}}
| residence = [[Karlberg Palace]]
| seat = [[Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters|Lidingövägen 24]], [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]]
| nominator = [[Minister for Defence (Sweden)|Minister for Defence]]
| appointer = The [[Government of Sweden|Government]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| termlength = 
| termlength_qualified = 
| constituting_instrument = [https://www.notisum.se/rnp/sls/lag/20071266.htm# Förordning (2007:1266) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten] <br/><small>(current ordinance)</small>
| precursor = None{{efn|There was no single career officer in charge of all the forces before the creation of this position (all senior service commanders reported directly to the [[Monarchy of Sweden|King]] and his [[King in Council (Sweden)|Council]]).}}
| formation = 8 December 1939
| first = [[Olof Thörnell]]
| last = 
| abolished = 
| succession = 
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = [[Director General of the Swedish Armed Forces]]
| salary = 
| website = {{Official site|https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/about/organisation/chief-of-defence/}}
}}

The '''Chief of Defence''', formerly the '''Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces'''{{efn|Chief of Defence has been used since Sweden joined NATO in 2024. Prior to this, the title Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces was used. See sources here:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.2d.lviv.ua/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Grafisk_identitet_v1.3_130916.pdf |publisher=[[Swedish Armed Forces]] |title=Försvarsmaktens gemensamma identitet – direktiv för användandet av Försvarsmaktens namn, profil och bild |version=1.3 |date=2013-09-16 |access-date=20 November 2024 |language=sv |page=67 |archive-date=2018-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223052318/http://www.2d.lviv.ua/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Grafisk_identitet_v1.3_130916.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Gullberg|1977|p=1233}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/4-om-myndigheten/dokumentfiler/publikationer/swedish-armed-forces-2009.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609133808/https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/4-om-myndigheten/dokumentfiler/publikationer/swedish-armed-forces-2009.pdf |title=The pocket guide to the Swedish Armed Forces 2009 |year=2009 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |publisher=Public Relations Office, Swedish Armed Forces |location=Stockholm |id={{SELIBR|11880292}} |page=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/dd76044cc9d3418eb8055394998f78d4/namnboken-12e-upplagan.pdf |title=Utrikes namnbok: svenska myndigheter, organisationer, titlar, EU-organ och länder på engelska, tyska, franska, spanska, finska och ryska |edition=12th |year=2024 |publisher=Utrikesdepartementet, Regeringskansliet |location=Stockholm |isbn=978-91-527-6803-7 |id= |page=103}}</ref>}} ({{langx|sv|överbefälhavaren}}; [[acronym]]: '''ÖB''') is the highest ranked professional military officer in the [[Swedish Armed Forces]], and is by [[NATO]] terminology the [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[chief of defence|chief of defence equivalent]]. The Chief of Defence is the agency head of the Swedish Armed Forces and formally reports to the [[Government of Sweden]], though normally through the [[Minister for Defence (Sweden)|Minister for Defence]].<ref name="Supreme Commander">{{cite web | url = http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/our-organisation/supreme-commander/ | title = Supreme Commander | publisher = [[Swedish Armed Forces]] | access-date = 2014-10-24 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141024163719/http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/our-organisation/supreme-commander/ | archive-date = 2014-10-24 }}</ref>{{efn|Although the [[Minister for Defence (Sweden)|Minister for Defence]] heads the [[Ministry of Defence (Sweden)|Ministry of Defence]], the Minister cannot as a general rule issue directives in his/her own right to the Chief of Defence or any other agency director-general in the defence portfolio due to the [[Ministerstyre|Swedish prohibition on ministerial rule]], unless such authority is provided for in specific statutory provisions.}} The primary responsibilities and duties of the Chief of Defence (and the charter for the Armed Forces) are prescribed in an [[Secondary legislation|ordinance]] issued by the Government.<ref name="Förordning (2007:1266) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten">{{cite web | url = http://www.notisum.se/rnp/sls/lag/20071266.htm | publisher = [[Swedish Code of Statutes]] |title = Förordning (2007:1266) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten |via=www.notisum.se | access-date = 2014-10-24 | language = sv}}</ref>

The Chief of Defence is, apart from the honorary ranks held by the [[Monarchy of Sweden|King of Sweden]] and in the past other members of the [[Swedish royal family]], by unwritten convention normally the only professional military officer on active duty to hold the highest rank (a four-star [[General (Sweden)|General]] or [[Admiral (Sweden)|Admiral]]).<ref name="ÖB i historien">{{cite web |url=http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/sv/organisation/overbefalhavaren/overbefalhavaren-i-historien/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504034305/http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/sv/organisation/overbefalhavaren/overbefalhavaren-i-historien/ |publisher=[[Swedish Armed Forces]] |title=Överbefälhavare i historien |access-date=2014-10-24 |archive-date=4 May 2019 |language=sv}}</ref> An exception was made 2009-2014 when [[Håkan Syrén]] was chairman of the [[European Union Military Committee]].

The present Chief of Defence, General [[Michael Claesson]], took office on 1 October 2024.

==History==
Before the modern era, the King was expected to command the forces himself; not seldom on location during war campaigns as shown by [[Gustavus Adolphus]], [[Charles X of Sweden|Charles X]], [[Charles XI of Sweden|Charles XI]], [[Charles XII of Sweden|Charles XII]] and [[Gustav III]]. This remained the case formally until the 20th century. From the late 19th century onwards, there were no service chiefs of the [[Swedish Army|Army]] or [[Swedish Navy|Navy]]; all senior service commanders reported directly to the [[King in Council (Sweden)|King in Council]]. Apart from a single [[Minister for Defence (Sweden)|Minister for Defence]] created in 1919 by merging the position of ministers of the land forces and naval forces, no joint command structure existed.<ref name="ÖB i historien"/>

In 1936, a Supreme Commander was intended to be appointed in war-time-only, and on 1 December 1939, during [[World War II]], the first Supreme Commander, General [[Olof Thörnell]], was appointed.<ref name="ÖB i historien"/> In 1942 it was decided to keep this office even after the end of the war. The Supreme Commander would in wartime formally report to the King in Council until the enactment of the new [[Constitution of Sweden|Instrument of Government]] in 1974, and after 1 January 1975 to the [[Government of Sweden|Government]].<ref name="ÖB i historien"/>

==Heraldry==
The coat of arms of the Chief of Defence was used from 1991 to 1993. It has since 1993 been used by the [[Swedish Armed Forces]] and was used from 1994 to 2001 by the [[Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters]]. [[Blazon]]: "Azure, lesser [[coat of arms of Sweden]], three open crowns or placed two and one. The shield surmounting an erect sword of the last colour".<ref>{{harvnb|Braunstein|2006|p=13}}</ref>

<gallery class="center">
File:Försvarsmakten vapen bra.svg|Coat of arms of the Chief of Defence used 1991 to 1993.
</gallery>

The command flag of the Chief of Defence is drawn by Brita Grep and embroidered by hand by the Kedja studio, Heraldica. [[Blazon]]: "Fessed in blue and yellow; on blue three open yellow crowns placed two and one, on yellow two blue batons of command with sets of open yellow crowns placed two and one in saltire."<ref>{{harvnb|Braunstein|2004|p=105}}</ref>

<gallery class="center">
File:Överbefälhavarens befälstecken MM 25330.jpg|Command flag of the Chief of Defence.
File:Kommandotecken Överbefälhavaren.svg|Command sign of the Chief of Defence.
</gallery>

==List of Chiefs of Defence==
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder         = y
| showimage         = y
| image_title       = Portrait
| showparty         = n
| showdefencebranch = y
| showtermlenght    = y
| showref           = y
| showcabinet       = y
| cabinet_title     = [[Prime Minister of Sweden|Prime Minister]]
}}
|-
|-style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=9|Supreme Commander (1937–2024)
|-
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = Olof Thörnell AMA.0000902.jpg
| military_rank     = [[General (Sweden)|General]]
| officeholder      = [[Olof Thörnell]] {{post-nominals|country=SWE|size=75%|sep=,|RoKKMO|KmstkSO|RVO}}
| officeholder_sort = Thörnell, Olof
| born_year         = 1877
| died_year         = 1977
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 8 December 1939
| term_end          = 31 March 1944
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1939|12|8|1944|3|31}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/>
| cabinet           = [[Per Albin Hansson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| image             = Helge_Jung_AMA.0000829_(cropped).jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Helge Jung]] {{post-nominals|country=SWE|size=75%|sep=,|RoKKMO|KmstkSO|RVO1kl|RNO}}
| officeholder_sort = Jung, Helge
| born_year         = 1886
| died_year         = 1978
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 1 April 1944
| term_end          = 31 March 1951
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1944|4|1|1951|3|31}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/>
| cabinet           = [[Per Albin Hansson]]<br>[[Tage Erlander]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| image             = Generalmajor Nils Per Robert Swedlund.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Nils Swedlund]] {{post-nominals|country=SWE|size=75%|sep=,|RoKKMO|KmstkSO|KNO2kl|RVO}}
| officeholder_sort = Swedlund, Nils
| born_year         = 1898
| died_year         = 1965
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 1 April 1951{{efn|Appointed on 26 January 1951.<ref name="Zetterberg (2014), p. 542">{{harvnb|Zetterberg|2014|p=542}}</ref>}}
| term_end          = 30 September 1961
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1951|4|1|1961|9|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="Zetterberg (2014), p. 542"/>
| cabinet           = [[Tage Erlander]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| image             = Torsten Rapp 001.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Torsten Rapp]] {{post-nominals|country=SWE|size=75%|sep=,|RoKKMO|KmstkSO|RNO|RVO}}
| officeholder_sort = Rapp, Torsten
| born_year         = 1905
| died_year         = 1993
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Air Force |2=[[File:Flygvapnet vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Air Force|Air Force]] }}
| term_start        = 1 October 1961
| term_end          = 30 September 1970
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1961|10|1|1970|9|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/>
| cabinet           = [[Tage Erlander]]<br>[[Olof Palme]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| image             = Stig_Synnergren.jpg|bSize = 150px|cWidth = 100|cHeight = 125|oTop = 7|oLeft = 15
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Stig Synnergren]] {{post-nominals|country=SWE|size=75%|sep=,|KmstkSO}}
| officeholder_sort = Synnergren, Stig
| born_year         = 1915
| died_year         = 2004
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 1 October 1970
| term_end          = 30 September 1978
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1970|10|1|1978|9|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/>
| cabinet           = [[Olof Palme]]<br>[[Thorbjörn Fälldin]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             = Karl Hilmer Lennart Ljung GMSF.002580.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Lennart Ljung (general)|Lennart Ljung]] {{post-nominals|country=SWE|size=75%|sep=,|KSO1kl}}
| officeholder_sort = Ljung, Lennart
| born_year         = 1921
| died_year         = 1990
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 1 October 1978
| term_end          = 30 September 1986
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1978|10|1|1986|9|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/>
| cabinet           = [[Thorbjörn Fälldin]]<br>[[Ola Ullsten]]<br>[[Olof Palme]]<br>[[Ingvar Carlsson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| image             = Bengt Gustafsson MILI.030059.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Bengt Gustafsson (general)|Bengt Gustafsson]]
| officeholder_sort = Gustafsson, Bengt
| born_year         = 1933
| died_year         = 2019
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 1 October 1986
| term_end          = 30 June 1994
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1986|10|1|1994|6|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/>
| cabinet           = [[Ingvar Carlsson]]<br>[[Carl Bildt]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| image             = ÖB Owe Wiktorin.webp
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Owe Wiktorin]]
| officeholder_sort = Wiktorin, Owe
| born_year         = 1940
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Air Force |2=[[File:Flygvapnet vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Air Force|Air Force]] }}
| term_start        = 1 July 1994
| term_end          = 30 June 2000
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1994|7|1|2000|6|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/><ref>{{harvnb|Mortensen|2000|p=B19}}</ref>
| cabinet           = [[Carl Bildt]]<br>[[Ingvar Carlsson]]<br>[[Göran Persson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| image             = Johan Ivar Hederstedt GMSF.023536.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Johan Hederstedt]]
| officeholder_sort = Hederstedt, Johan
| born_year         = 1943
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 1 July 2000
| term_end          = 31 December 2003
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2000|6|30|2003|12|31}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/johan-hederstedt-avgar-som-ob-vid-arsskiftet/ |newspaper=[[Expressen]] |title=Johan Hederstedt avgår som ÖB vid årsskiftet |agency=TT |date=4 November 2003 |access-date=28 April 2017 |language=sv}}</ref>
| cabinet                       = [[Göran Persson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| image             = Håkan Syrén Feb 2010.jpg|bSize = 150px|cWidth = 100|cHeight = 125|oTop = 7|oLeft = 15
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Håkan Syrén]]
| officeholder_sort = Syrén, Håkan
| born_year         = 1952
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Navy, Amphibious |2=[[File:Amfibiekåren vapen.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Navy|Navy]]<br/>{{small|([[Swedish Amphibious Corps|Amphibious Corps]])}} }}
| term_start        = 1 January 2004
| term_end          = 24 March 2009
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2004|1|1|2009|3|24}}
| ref               = <ref name="ÖB i historien"/>
| cabinet           = [[Göran Persson]]<br>[[Fredrik Reinfeldt]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 11
| image             = Sverker Göranson May 26, 2013.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Sverker Göranson]]
| officeholder_sort = Göranson, Sverker
| born_year         = 1954
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 25 March 2009
| term_end          = 30 September 2015
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2009|3|25|2015|9|30}}
| ref               = <ref>{{cite press release |date=6 March 2009 |title=Sverker Göranson blir ny överbefälhavare |trans-title=Sverker Göranson becomes new Supreme Commander |url=http://www.regeringen.se/49bb51/contentassets/ff30cab3a3b146a98345a22e649ae21b/pressmeddelanden-2006-2010---forsvarsminister-sten-tolgfors |publisher=[[Government Offices of Sweden]] |agency=[[Ministry of Defence (Sweden)|Ministry of Defence]] |page=615 |access-date=2017-04-26 |language=sv}}</ref>
| cabinet           = [[Fredrik Reinfeldt]]<br>[[Stefan Löfven]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 12
| image             = Micael Bydén in 2024.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Micael Bydén]]
| officeholder_sort = Bydén, Micael
| born_year         = 1964
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Air Force |2=[[File:Flygvapnet vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Air Force|Air Force]] }}
| term_start        = 1 October 2015
| term_end          = 30 September 2024
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2015|10|1|2024|9|30}}
| ref               = <ref name="Bio">{{cite web | url = http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/sv/aktuellt/2015/09/micael-byden-ny-ob/ |title = Micael Bydén ny ÖB | publisher = [[Swedish Armed Forces]] | language = sv | access-date = 2015-09-11 }}</ref>
| cabinet           = [[Stefan Löfven]]<br>[[Magdalena Andersson]]<br>[[Ulf Kristersson]]
}}
|-
|-style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=9|Chiefs of Defence (2024–present)
|-
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 13
| image             = 240122-A-UH083-1017 Michael Claesson.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Michael Claesson]]
| officeholder_sort = Claesson, Michael
| born_year         = 1965
| defence_branch    = {{sort|1=Army |2=[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]] }}
| term_start        = 1 October 2024
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2024|10|01}}
| ref               = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/sv/aktuellt/2024/06/generallojtnant-michael-claesson-blir-ny-ob-i-host/ |publisher=[[Swedish Armed Forces]] |title=Generallöjtnant Michael Claesson blir ny ÖB i höst |trans-title=Lieutenant General Michael Claesson will be the new Chief of Defence this autumn |date=7 June 2024 |access-date=24 September 2024 |language=sv}}</ref>
| cabinet           = [[Ulf Kristersson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

=== Timeline ===
<timeline>
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:10
PlotArea  = top:10 bottom:50 right:130 left:20
AlignBars = late

DateFormat = yyyy
Period     = from:1935 till:2030
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1935

Define $now	= 2024

Colors     =
  id:ar	        value:green             legend: Army
  id:ma         value:darkblue          legend: Navy
  id:fv         value:skyblue           legend: Air_Force
  id:time	value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)	

Legend     = orientation:vertical position:right

LineData = 
  layer:back
  width:0.1
  color:time
  at:1935
  at:1940
  at:1945
  at:1950
  at:1955
  at:1960
  at:1965
  at:1970
  at:1975
  at:1980
  at:1985
  at:1990
  at:1995
  at:2000
  at:2005
  at:2010
  at:2015
  at:2020
  at:2025
  at:2030

BarData =
 barset:PM
 bar:thörnell
 bar:jung
 bar:swedlund
 bar:rapp
 bar:synnergren
 bar:ljung
 bar:gustafsson
 bar:wiktorin
 bar:hederstedt
 bar:syren
 bar:göranson
 bar:bydén
 bar:claesson

PlotData=
  width:6 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
  barset:PM

 bar:thörnell     from: 1939 till: 1944  color:ar       text:[[Olof Thörnell|Thörnell]]
 bar:jung         from: 1944 till: 1951  color:ar       text:[[Helge Jung|Jung]]
 bar:swedlund     from: 1951 till: 1961  color:ar       text:[[Nils Swedlund|Swedlund]]
 bar:rapp         from: 1961 till: 1970  color:fv       text:[[Torsten Rapp|Rapp]]
 bar:synnergren   from: 1970 till: 1978  color:ar       text:[[Stig Synnergren|Synnergren]]
 bar:ljung        from: 1978 till: 1986  color:ar       text:[[Lennart Ljung (general)|Ljung]]
 bar:gustafsson   from: 1986 till: 1994  color:ar       text:[[Bengt Gustafsson (general)|Gustafsson]]
 bar:wiktorin     from: 1994 till: 2000  color:fv       text:[[Owe Wiktorin|Wiktorin]]
 bar:hederstedt   from: 2000 till: 2004  color:ar       text:[[Johan Hederstedt|Hederstedt]]
 bar:syren        from: 2004 till: 2009  color:ma       text:[[Håkan Syrén|Syrén]]
 bar:göranson     from: 2009 till: 2015  color:ar       text:[[Sverker Göranson|Göranson]]
 bar:bydén        from: 2015 till: 2024  color:fv       text:[[Micael Bydén|Bydén]]
 bar:claesson     from: 2024 till: $now  color:ar       text:[[Michael Claesson|Claesson]]
</timeline>

Every time a new Chief of Defence is to be appointed, there is some debate between the different services. Some feel that some kind of rotational system would be appropriate. In actuality, most Chiefs of Defence have come from the [[Swedish Army|Army]], and only one, [[Håkan Syrén]], from the [[Swedish Navy|Navy]]. Because he is a [[General (Sweden)|general]] of the [[Swedish Amphibious Corps|Amphibious Corps]], there has to this day not been a single [[Admiral (Sweden)|admiral]] to hold the office.

==List of Deputy Supreme Commanders==
Until 30 June 1994, the [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Sweden)|Chief of the Defence Staff]] was the second most senior member of the [[Swedish Armed Forces]]. When the Swedish Armed Forces was reorganized on 1 July 1994, the Chief of the Defence Staff position was abolished. Lieutenant General [[Percurt Green]] became the first Deputy Chief of Defence who took office on 1 July 1994. He also held the post of head of the Joint Operations Command (''Operationsledningen'', OpL).<ref name="Braconier (1994), p. 8">{{harvnb|Braconier|1994|p=8}}</ref>

In conjunction with the [[Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters]] reorganization in 1998, a special position was created as Deputy Chief of Defence to relieve the Chief of Defence. The Deputy Chief of Defence led the Headquarters work through coordination of the operations. He also exercised employer responsibility for the staff in the Headquarters. In order to coordinate the operations he had a Coordination Department.<ref name="Johansson (1998)">{{harvnb|Johansson|1998|p=}}</ref> The Deputy Chief of Defence also acted as the Deputy Agency Executive (''Ställföreträdande myndighetschef'').<ref name="Flygvapennytt (1998), p. 4">{{cite journal |url=http://www.fht.nu/bilder/Flygvapnet/Flygvapennytt/fv_nytt_2_98_nya_hogkvarteret.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |publisher=Flygstaben |title=Nya högkvarteret |number=2 |year=1998 |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|8257600}} |page=4}}</ref> A formal position of head of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters was established in 2002.<ref>{{harvnb|Försvarsberedningen|2004|p=131}}</ref>

From 1 October 2005, the post of Deputy Chief of Defence became the [[Director General of the Swedish Armed Forces]] held by a civil servant.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/forsvarsdepartementet/pressreleases/generaldirektoer-och-staellfoeretraedande-chef-foer-foersvarsmakten-34119 |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (Sweden)|Ministry of Defence]] |title=Generaldirektör och ställföreträdande chef för Försvarsmakten |date=2005-06-30 |access-date=12 May 2021 |language=sv |via=[[Mynewsdesk]]}}</ref>

{{Officeholder table start
| showorder                     = y
| showimage                     = y
| showparty                     = n
| showdefencebranch             = y
| showtermlenght                = y
| showref                       = y
| showcabinet                   = y
| cabinet_title                 = [[Prime Minister of Sweden|Prime Minister]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order                         = 1
| image                         = 
| military_rank                 = [[Lieutenant General]]
| officeholder                  = [[Percurt Green]]
| officeholder_sort             = Green, Percurt
| born_year                     = 1939
| died_year                     = 
| defence_branch                = <!--Army-->[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]]
| term_start                    = 1 July 1994
| term_end                      = 30 June 1998
| timeinoffice                  = {{ayd|1994|7|1|1998|6|30}}
| ref                           = <ref name="Braconier (1994), p. 8"/><ref name="Höglund (1998), p. 2">{{harvnb|Höglund|1998|p=2}}</ref>
| cabinet                       = [[Carl Bildt]]<br>[[Ingvar Carlsson]]<br>[[Göran Persson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order                         = 2
| image                         = Vice Admiral Frank Rosenius at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia 1999 (crop).jpg
| military_rank                 = [[Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder                  = [[Frank Rosenius]]
| officeholder_sort             = Rosenius, Frank
| born_year                     = 1940
| died_year                     = 
| defence_branch                = <!--Navy-->[[File:Marinen vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Navy|Navy]]
| term_start                    = 1 July 1998
| term_end                      = 2000
| timeinoffice                  = {{age in years|1998|2000}} years
| ref                           = <ref name="Höglund (1998), p. 2"/><ref name="Johansson (1998)"/>
| cabinet                       = [[Göran Persson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order                         = 3
| image                         = Hans Göran Berndtson.jpg
| military_rank                 = Lieutenant General
| officeholder                  = [[Hans Berndtson]]
| officeholder_sort             = Berndtson, Hans
| born_year                     = 1945
| died_year                     = 
| defence_branch                = <!--Army-->[[File:Armén vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br/>[[Swedish Army|Army]]
| term_start                    = 1 January 2001{{efn|Berndtson was appointed on 19 April 2000. He formally took office on 1 January 2001, but came from 1 July 2000 to help the then newly appointed Supreme Commander, General [[Johan Hederstedt]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tidningar.kb.se/8224221/2000-04-20/edition/11184/part/1/page/10/ |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |title=Försvaret |agency=TT |page=A 10 |date=20 April 2000 |access-date=7 May 2020 |language=sv |url-access=limited}}</ref>}}
| term_end                      = 31 October 2004
| timeinoffice                  = {{ayd|2001|1|1|2004|10|31}}
| ref                           = <ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/forsvarsdepartementet/pressreleases/staellfoeretraedande-oeb-i-foersvarsmakten-33985 |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (Sweden)|Ministry of Defence]] |title=Ställföreträdande ÖB i Försvarsmakten |date=25 March 2004 |access-date=18 February 2022  |via=[[Mynewsdesk]] |language=sv}}</ref>
| cabinet                       = [[Göran Persson]]
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order                         = -
| image                         = Jan Salestrand01.jpg
| military_rank                 = Lieutenant General
| officeholder                  = [[Jan Salestrand]]
| officeholder_sort             = Salestrand, Jan
| born_year                     = 1954
| died_year                     = 
| defence_branch                = <!--Air Force-->[[File:Flygvapnet vapen bra.svg|50px]]<br>[[Swedish Air Force|Air Force]]
| term_start                    = 31 January 2013
| term_end                      = 18 March 2013
| timeinoffice                  = {{ayd|2013|1|31|2013|3|18}}
| ref                           = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/17025/a/208197 |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (Sweden)|Ministry of Defence]] |title=Generallöjtnant Jan Salestrand vikarierande överbefälhavare och chef för Försvarsmakten |access-date=21 November 2017 |language=sv}}{{dead link|date=July 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.svt.se/nyheter/sverige/ob-ater-pa-jobbet |publisher=[[Sveriges Television]] |agency=TT |title=ÖB åter på jobbet |newspaper=SVT Nyheter |date=18 March 2013 |access-date=21 November 2017 |language=sv}}</ref>
| cabinet                       = [[Fredrik Reinfeldt]]
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

==See also==
* [[Lord High Admiral of Sweden]] (historical antecedent)
* [[Lord High Constable of Sweden]] (historical antecedent)

==Footnotes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==

===Notes===
{{Reflist}}

===Print===
*{{cite news |url=https://tidningar.kb.se/1767385/1994-07-07/edition/0/part/1/page/8/ |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |title=FN-svenskar försvarar livsviktig "kostig" |first=Fredrik |last=Braconier |date=7 July 1994 |access-date=7 May 2020 |language=sv |url-access=limited}}
*{{cite book |url=https://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/sfhm-skriftserie_svenska-armens-falttecken-efter-millennieskiftet_av_christian-braunstein.pdf |last=Braunstein |first=Christian |title=Svenska försvarsmaktens fälttecken efter millennieskiftet |trans-title=The flags and standards of the Swedish Armed Forces after the turn of the millennium |series=Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 7 [dvs 8] |year=2004 |publisher=Statens försvarshistoriska museer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=978-91-971584-7-3 |id={{SELIBR|9815350}} |access-date=2019-10-14 |archive-date=2018-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522042235/http://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/sfhm-skriftserie_svenska-armens-falttecken-efter-millennieskiftet_av_christian-braunstein.pdf |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |url=https://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/heraldiska-vapen-inom-det-svenska-forsvaret-sfhm-skrift-9.pdf |last=Braunstein |first=Christian |title=Heraldiska vapen inom det svenska försvaret |trans-title=Heraldry of the Swedish Armed Forces |series=Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 9 |year=2006 |publisher=Statens försvarshistoriska museer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=91-971584-9-6 |id={{SELIBR|10099224}} |access-date=2018-11-24 |archive-date=2018-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125030817/https://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/heraldiska-vapen-inom-det-svenska-forsvaret-sfhm-skrift-9.pdf |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite book |url=https://runeberg.org/svenfack/1253.html |last=Gullberg |first=Ingvar E. |title=Svensk-engelsk fackordbok för näringsliv, förvaltning, undervisning och forskning |trans-title=A Swedish-English dictionary of technical terms used in business, industry, administration, education and research |edition=2nd |year=1977 |publisher=Norstedt |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=91-1-775052-0 |id={{SELIBR|8345587}} |page=}}
*{{cite news |url=https://tidningar.kb.se/4112714/1998-02-03/edition/11427/part/2/page/4/ |newspaper=[[Göteborgs-Posten]] |title=Chefsflytt oroar ÖB |first=Jan |last=Höglund |date=3 February 1998 |access-date=7 May 2020 |language=sv |url-access=limited}}
*{{cite journal |url=http://www.aff.a.se/vf983_19.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126192454/http://aff.a.se/vf983_19.htm |journal=Vårt Försvar: Tidskrift |title=Det nya Högkvarteret |first=Bengt-Arne |last=Johansson |author-link=Bengt-Arne Johansson (officer) |year=1998 |number=3 |publisher=Allmänna försvarsföreningen |volume=109 |location=Stockholm |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|3430365}} |archive-date=26 January 2018 |access-date=2 October 2018 }}
*{{cite news |url=https://tidningar.kb.se/8224221/2000-05-06/edition/11184/part/2/page/19/?q=Stridspilot%20blir%20landsv%C3%A4gsriddare |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |title=DN gratulerar: Stridspilot blir landsvägsriddare |first=Per |last=Mortensen |date=2000-05-06 |access-date=28 April 2017 |language=sv |url-access=limited}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Salander Mortensen |editor-first=Jill |year=1996 |title=Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 |trans-title=Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997 |location=Stockholm |publisher=Norstedt |isbn=91-1-960852-7 |language=sv |id={{SELIBR|3681533}} |url=https://runeberg.org/vemardet/1997/0392.html }}
*{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/Sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=34857 |publisher=[[National Archives of Sweden]] |encyclopedia=[[Svenskt biografiskt lexikon]] |title=Nils Per Robert Swedlund |first=Kent |last=Zetterberg |year=2014 |volume=34 |page=542 |access-date=14 October 2019 |language=sv }}
*{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jr6FTD8FDj0C&q=%22chef+f%C3%B6r+h%C3%B6gkvarteret%22&pg=PA131 |author=Försvarsberedningen |title=Försvar för en ny tid: försvarspolitisk rapport |series=Ds : departementsserien, 0284-6012 ; 2004:30 |year=2004 |publisher=Försvarsdepartementet, Regeringskansliet |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=91-38-22167-5 |id={{SELIBR|9534949}} }}

==External links==
*{{Official site|https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/about/organisation/chief-of-defence/}} {{in lang|sv}}

{{Leadership of the Swedish Armed Forces}}
{{Chief of military by country}}

[[Category:Military appointments of Sweden]]
[[Category:Swedish military personnel|*]]
[[Category:Chiefs of defence|Sweden]]
[[Category:Heads of Swedish State agencies]]
[[Category:1939 establishments in Sweden]]