| Sweden has two special forces teams- the Special | | | | includes VIP protection, parachuting and scuba diving. |
| Protection Group, Särskilda Skyddsgruppen or SSG | | | | SSG officers also get receive special weapons |
| and the Special Reconnaissance Group, Särskilda | | | | training, sniping training, and training in first aid. Training |
| Inhämtningsgruppen or SIG. Both units report to | | | | is generally conducted in foreign countries with many |
| the ministry of defense and are under the direct | | | | joint exercises with the special forces of those |
| command of the Supreme Commander of the | | | | countries. |
| Swedish Armed Forces. There are plans underway to | | | | What Are They Best At? |
| merge the SSG and the SIG into a single unit by 2011. | | | | Their goal is to be neutral in times of war. They are |
| Their History | | | | trained to protect the territory, defend their country |
| The SPG became active in 1994 whereas the SIG | | | | and assist civilians. They also deploy troops for |
| was established much later in 2006. The Swedish | | | | international peace missions. The SIG are especially |
| Army became more active during the years of the | | | | trained for reconnaissance and clandestine surveillance |
| Cold War, at which time service in the military | | | | with the aim of gathering intelligence on any |
| became mandatory. The Swedish Army serves the | | | | individuals or activities of strategic significance. The |
| people of Sweden and has also been deployed | | | | SIG undertakes delicate, dangerous missions that |
| globally. Recently, the SPG was deployed to | | | | require them to move undetected inside hostile areas. |
| Afghanistan to support the ISAF, a NATO group. | | | | Weapons Of The Sweden |
| The SSG and the SIG were both deployed to Chad, | | | | Weapons are unknown. |
| as part of Sweden's contribution of marines to | | | | Known Missions |
| EUFOR. | | | | The SSG has been active in Afghanistan and Kosovo. |
| How To Become A Member Of The SSG & SIG | | | | They have also been active in anti piracy in Operation |
| While the SSG is comprised of officers from all 3 | | | | Atlanta and have been deployed for peacekeeping in |
| military branches- the army, the navy and the air | | | | Sudan and Chad. |
| force, they are primarily from the Coastal Rangers, | | | | Units |
| Airborne Rangers and Parachute Rangers. The | | | | There are many units established in the Swedish |
| selection process is extremely arduous and | | | | Army, but only 2 that are ready for instant |
| challenging. | | | | deployment. The Home Guard and the First Regiment |
| Men are mostly drafted into the Swedish army, | | | | are ready for instant deployment. |
| although there have been a considerable number of | | | | Are They Professional Soldiers? |
| female volunteers over the past several years. The | | | | Most of the members of the Swedish army are |
| standards and challenges for female applicants is the | | | | conscripts who have to serve because of the |
| same as it is for male applicants. The average age of | | | | mandatory service law. They are paid for their |
| the operatives is 30 years. | | | | service, but the plan is to end mandatory service in |
| Swedish Special Forces Training | | | | the summer of 2010. |
| Basic recruit training takes more than 12 months and | | | | |