Global Security Newswire

The Swedish military lacks the ability to protect the country's populace from chemical, biological or radiological attacks, among other threats, The Local on Monday cited issue specialists as saying (see GSN, Oct. 3, 2008).

"The Swedish armed forces could not be deployed if the situation would require it,"  ex-Swedish Defense Research Agency analyst Johan Tunberger said in an interview with the Svenska Dagbladet.

Other areas of concern include the state of the Swedish navy, the capability to set up emergency medical centers and readying a sufficient number of trained helicopter personnel.

Tunberger faulted the Swedish government's desire for a "balanced economy" for the lack of adequate military spending. Though defense spending for this year is $1.3 billion, mandated armed forces equipment expenditures would leave no funding for other programs, according to the report.

"The armed forces can't perform large-scale operations and the overall result is that the Swedish defense won't be able to be deployed if necessary," he said (The Local, April 30).