STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden should raise former officers’ upper conscription age limit to 70 from 47, a government-appointed review suggested on Monday, as part of the country’s moves to strengthen its defence in the face of a deteriorating security environment.
“The Swedish Armed Forces’ need for officers justifies an extended military service duration that should apply, regardless of the state of alert, to those who were previously employed as professional officers or reserve officers,” investigators said in their review.
The change, if approved, would mean that former officers aged up to 70 could be recalled to military service in case of need.
Sweden has rethought its security doctrine due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, joining NATO in 2024. Having already doubled defence spending since 2020 to 2.4% of GDP, it has launched a big push that will take it to 3.5% by 2032.
The country had already reintroduced partial conscription for men and women in 2017, due to a more uncertain security situation.
It has said priorities will be expanding the size and capabilities of the army, air defence and increasing stocks of ammunition. A lack of personnel, above all army officers and specialists, has long been seen as a key bottleneck.
“We are making very large investments now in military defence. Much of the focus has been on strengthened materiel supply, Defence Minister Pal Jonson told a press conference on Monday.
“But we will also need to continue working to strengthen the Armed Forces’ personnel supply,” he said.
(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, Stine Jacobsen and Louise Rasmussen; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
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