Warfighting:Sweden's Integration into NATO Provides New Opportunities

According to Sweden's Minister of Defence Pal Johnson:Going into an Alliance is of course a big change.Policywise it's a big change;mentally it's a big change.And we have to remember we're not necessarily going to be defending Sweden from inside Sweden,but from a distance,and we're going to be doing it as a solidaric Ally.*For the first time,according to RDL Jens Nykvist,Deputy Chief of Defence Staff,NATO can craft a unified defence of the Nordic Region.Sweden brings more than 100 years of experience operating submarines in the Baltic Sea Region,doorway to Russia's largest port,St.Petersburg.*Defence Minister Jonson added:This is a direct consequence of Russia's illegal,unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.This is the mother of all unintended consequences for Russian strategic thinking.*The Swedish Armed Forces have only 25,000 troops under arms.Yet Sweden can offer its territory to NATO for deterrence and defence,a base and staging area for NATO forces.For example,Sweden has entered into a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with the US,allowing the US the privilege to deploy troops to Swedish military bases.This can help shape the regional environment for preventing Russia's efforts for potential conflict,and for response to Russian incursions.According to RDL Nykvist:Some people tried to say Sweden and Finland now being part of NATO makes the Baltic a NATO lake.I would say it's not...because we have the Russian bases (in Kaliningrad).*Sweden's Chief of Staff GEN Micael Byden said:I'm sure that Putin even has both eyes on Gotland (Sweden's central island).Putin's goal is to take control of the Baltic Sea Region.If Russia controls and seals off the Baltic Sea,it would have an enormous impact on our lives-in Sweden and in all countries bordering the Baltic Sea.We can't allow it (Note:Gotland has been highly militarised by Sweden to act as a bulwark against Russian incursions).*RDL Nykvist expalined that increased commercial shipping and underwater infrastructure like cables and pipelines are making Baltic Sea operations more complicated (Note:The Royal Swedish Navy is developing a new class of submarines designed for detecting undersea sabotage.The two new A26 Blekinge-class boats will have a large airlock from which to deploy divers and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles).There's a lot of density of traffic.It's 4,000 ships moving around every given minute in this region.It's coming from St.Petersburg area and going out and back.That's one of the main routes for Russia regarding oil and energy products.I would claim unique assets and capabilities when it comes to operating in the Baltic Sea.We've been working for decades with our submarines;on the surface with our surface combatants.*