title: Military equipment of Sweden during World War II
text: # Military equipment of Sweden during World War II
  
  Sweden was formally a non-belligerent nation throughout World War II, but saw considerable military build-up as the level of threat from the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany increased. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Swedes fought as volunteers abroad, a majority of them in service of Finland during the Winter War.
  
  ## Army
  
  ### Small arms
  
  In the early stages of the war, Sweden relied on a numerous army through conscription and the use of a Total Defence policy. In 1945, the Swedish army had been modernized from the use of World War I weapons to semi-automatic rifles and high-tech firearms such as the Carl Gustav. The infantry had also been equipped with a great deal of rocket launchers for anti-tank warfare, and the availability of artillery had increased drastically with the World War II build-up.
  
  | Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Pistol m/07 | Sweden | Semi-automatic pistol | Pistol m/07 | Unknown | 1907-1980's | License-built FN Browning 1903. |
  | Pistol m/39 | Germany | Semi-automatic pistol | Pistol m/39 | Unknown | 1939-???? | - |
  | Pistol m/40 | Finland Sweden | Semi-automatic pistol | Pistol m/40Pistol m/40B | 100,000 | 1940-1990s | License-built Lahti L-35, manufactured by Husqvarna |
  | Kpist m/37 | Finland Sweden | Submachine gun | m/37m/37-39m/37-39F | 35,000 | 1939-1980s | - |
  | Kpist m/39 | Germany | Submachine gun | Kpist m/39 | Unknown | 1940s-???? | - |
  | Kpist m/40 | United States | Submachine gun | Kpist m/40 | 500 | 1940-1951 | M1921 Thompson submachine gun. |
  | Kpist m/45 | Sweden | Submachine gun | m/45 | 300,000 | 1945–2007 | - |
  | Gevär m/96 | Sweden | Bolt-action rifle | Karbin m/94Gevär m/96Gevär m/38Gevär m/41Gevär m/41B | 127,000535,00088,0005,3005,300 | 1895-1980s | - |
  | Gevär m/39 | Germany Sweden | Bolt-action rifle | m/39m/40 | 5,000 | 1939-1970s | Modified German K98K's. |
  | Ag m/42 | Sweden | Semi-automatic rifle | Ag m/42 | 30,000 | 1942-1960s | - |
  | Kg m/37 | United States Sweden | Light machine gun | m/21m/37 | Unknown | 1921–1980 | Modified M1918 Browning produced under license. |
  | Kg m/39 | {} | Light machine gun | Kg m/39 | Unknown | 1939-???? | - |
  | Kg m/40 | Sweden | Light machine gun | Kg m/40 | 5,000 | 1940-???? | - |
  | Ksp m/14 | Sweden | Medium machine gun | Ksp m/14m/14-29 | Unknown | 1910s-1940s | Standard mount.Ksp m/36 mount. |
  | Ksp m/36 | Sweden | Medium machine gun | Ksp m/36 | Unknown | 1910s-???? | Upgraded M1917 Browning produced under license. |
  | Ksp m/42 | United States Sweden | Medium machine gun | Ksp m/42 | 1942–present | License-built, modified M1919. |
  | Pvkan m/39 | {} | Anti-tank rifle | Pvkan m/39 | 1939–???? | - |
  | Pvg m/42 | Sweden | Recoilless anti-tank rifle | Pvg m/42 | 1942–???? | - |
  | Raketgevär 46 | United States Sweden | Recoilless anti-tank weapon | Raketgevär 46 | Unknown | 1940s-1960s | License-built M1 Bazooka |
  
  ### Armoured fighting vehicles
  
  At the beginning of World War II, Sweden had a very low number of motorized vehicles, instead relying horses for transportation. When the war broke out in 1939, Sweden had one armoured division consisting of merely 13 light tanks, only 3 of which were considered to be modern (the remaining 10 had been in service since the 1920s). In 1945, the number of tanks serving the Swedish army had increased from 13 to more than 800.
  
  Number of tanks pre-war: 14
  
  Number of tanks in 1939: 29
  
  Number of tanks in 1940: 38
  
  Number of tanks in 1941: 135
  
  Number of tanks in 1942: 373
  
  Number of tanks in 1943: 544
  
  Number of tanks in 1944: 795
  
  Number of tanks in 1945: 795+
  
  | Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Pbil m/39 | Sweden | Armoured car | Pbil m/39Pbil m/40 | 1530 | 1939-19561939-1960s | Version with Scania-Vabis engineVersion with Volvo engine. |
  | Pbil m/41 | Sweden | Armoured car | Pbil m/41 | 5 | 1933–1980 | More than 50 produced, most of them sold to other countries before and during the war. |
  | Landsverk L-120 | Sweden | Light tank | L-120 | 1 | 1937–1940 | Prototype in active service but never mass-produced. |
  | Strv m/21-29 | Sweden | Light tank | m/21m/21-29 | 105 former m/21 | 1922-1939 | Standard versionUpgraded with new engine and electrical starter. |
  | Strv m/31 | Sweden | Light tank | Strv m/31 | 3 | 1935–1940 | Dug in as static bunkers for the Skåne Line |
  | Strv m/37 | Czechoslovakia Sweden | Light tank | Strv m/37 | 48 | 1938–1953 | License-built version of the AH-IV with Scania-Vabis engines. |
  | L-60 | Sweden | Light tank | Strv m/38Strv m/39Strv m/40LStrv m/40K | 162010080 | 1938-19571940-19571941-19571943-1960 | Landsverk L-60 In Swedish service. |
  | Strv m/41 | Czechoslovakia Sweden | Light tank | Strv m/41S1Strv m/41S2 | 116104 | 1942-1950s | License-built, upgraded version of the LT. vz. 38. |
  | Strv m/42 | Sweden | Medium tank | Strv m/42 TMStrv m/42 THStrv m/42 EHStrv m/42 TV | 100125+30 former TM5770 former TM | 1943-????1943-19601944-19601944-1960 | 2 Scania-Vabis engines and electromagnetic gearboxes.2 Scania-Vabis engines and hydraulic gearboxes.1 Volve engine and a hydraulic gearbox.2 Scania-Vabis engines and a mechanical gearbox. |
  | Sav m/43 | Sweden | Self-propelled artillery | Sav m/43 | 18 | 1944–1973 | - |
  | Tgbil m/42 | Sweden | Armoured personnel carrier | Tgbil m/42 SKPTgbil m/42 VKP | 262100 | 1944–2004 | Manufactured by Scania-VabisManufactured by Volvo |
  
  ### Artillery
  
  Sweden's artillery corps was made to specialize in mobility and warfare in the Swedish homeland terrain, which mostly consisted of thick forests and small, remote towns. Anti-aircraft warfare was considered important even before the war began, due to Sweden's small aircraft capacity in the 1930s. The Bofors 40 mm, a Swedish auto cannon, was exported to most warring countries in thousands of examples, making it the most common anti-aircraft weapon of the war.
  
  | Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Pvkan m/38 | Sweden | Light anti-tank gun | m/34m/38m/38F | Unknown | 1935-???? | 37mm Bofors AT gun. |
  | Lvakan m/40 | Sweden | Anti-aircraft autocannon | m/40 | 2,592 | 1940-???? | 20mm Bofors AA gun. |
  | Lvakan m/36 | Sweden | Anti-aircraft autocannon | m/36m/36Am/36Hm/36Pm/38m/39 | 924 | 1934–present | 40mm Bofors L/60 AA gun. |
  | Bofors 75 mm Model 1929 | Sweden | Anti-aircraft gun | 7.5 cm m/308 cm m/29 | 350 | 1930–present | Another 8 bought by Finland, 36 by the Netherlands and dozens by Hungary |
  | Bofors 75 mm Model 1934 | Sweden | Mountain gun | Bofors 75 mm | 74 | 1934-???? | - |
  | 10.5 cm kanon modell 1927 | Sweden | Heavy field gun | Model 1927 | 4 in the coastal artillery, many more in the army | 1927–1945 | - |
  | Kanon m/34 | Sweden | Heavy field gun | m/34 | 68 | 1942-???? | - |
  | Bofors 12 cm m/14 | Sweden | Towed howitzer | m/14 | Unknown | ????-???? | - |
  | Haubits m/40 | Sweden | Towed howitzer | m/40 | 400 total | 1940-???? | - |
  
  In addition to these weapons, Sweden also possessed 9 unspecified heavy anti-aircraft guns with a caliber of 105 mm.
  
  ## Navy
  
  The Swedish government saw a strong naval defense against a possible Soviet invasion as a high priority during World War II, and like with the rest of Sweden's military the Royal Navy lived through an enormous enhancement, ending up as the second-strongest naval power of the Baltic Sea after the Soviet Union.
  
  ### Coastal defence ships
  
  | Class | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | In service |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Sverige class | Sweden | Coastal defence ship | HSwMS Drottning VictoriaHSwMS Gustav VHSwMS Sverige | 3 | 1915-1957 |
  | Oscar II class | Sweden | Coastal defence ship | HSwMS Oscar II | 1 | 1905-1950 |
  | Äran class | Sweden | Coastal defence ship | HSwMS ManlighetenHSwMS TapperhetenHSwMS Äran | 3 | 1901-1950 |
  
  ### Cruisers
  
  | Class | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Gotland class | Sweden | Seaplane cruiser | HSwMS Gotland | 1 | 1933-1963 | The Swedish response to an aircraft carrier, able to carry 8 Hawker Osprey |
  | Tre Kronor class | Sweden | Cruiser | HSwMS Göta LejonHSwMS Tre Kronor | 2 | 1944-1984 | The Göta Lejon was launched on 17 November 1945, 94 days after the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II |
  | Fylgia class | Sweden | Armoured cruiser | HSwMS Fylgia | 1 | 1905-1957 | The HSwMS Fylgia is the smallest armoured cruiser ever to be launched |
  | Clas Fleming class | Sweden | Mine cruiser | HSwMS Clas Fleming | 1 | 1912-1960 | |
  | Örnen class | Sweden | Torpedo cruiser | HSwMS Örnen | 1 | 1897-1947 | Used as a cadet ship from 1926 |
  
  ### Destroyers
  
  Number of destroyers pre-war: 13
  
  Number of destroyers in 1939: 14
  
  Number of destroyers in 1940: 19
  
  Number of destroyers in 1941: 20
  
  Number of destroyers in 1942: 23
  
  Number of destroyers in 1943: 27
  
  Number of destroyers in 1944: 28
  
  Number of destroyers in 1945: 28
  
  | Class | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Göteborg class | Sweden | Destroyer | HSwMS GöteborgHSwMS StockholmHSwMS MalmöHSwMS KarlskronaHSwMS NorrköpingHSwMS Gävle | 6 | 1935-19621936-19651938-19701939-19791940-19651941-1968 | After World War II, all ships were rebuilt as frigates |
  | Romulus class | Italy | Destroyer/torpedo boat | HSwMS RomulusHSwMS Remus | 2 | 1940-1958 | Originally torpedo boats, rebuilt as destroyers for patrolling the Baltic Sea |
  | Psilander class | Italy | Destroyer | HSwMS PsilanderHSwMS Puke | 2 | 1940-1947 | - |
  | Vidar class | Sweden | Destroyer | HSwMS WaleHSwMS RagnarHSwMS SigurdHSwMS VidarHSwMS Wale | 4 | 1909-19471909-19471910-19471908-1940 | - |
  | Wrangel class | Sweden | Destroyer | HSwMS WachtmeisterHSwMS Wrangel | 2 | 1917-1947 | - |
  | Ehrensköld class | Sweden | Destroyer | HSwMS EhrensköldHSwMS Nordenskjöld | 2 | 1926-1963 | - |
  | Klas class | Sweden | Destroyer | HSwMS Klas HornHSwMS Klas Uggla | 2 | 1932-19581932-1942 | - |
  | Mode class | Sweden | Destroyer | HSwMS MagneHSwMS MjölnerHSwMS ModeHSwMS Munin | 4 | 1942-19661942-19661942-19701943-1968 | - |
  | Visby class | Sweden | Destroyer | HSwMS HälsingborgHSwMS KalmarHSwMS SundsvallHSwMS Visby | 4 | 1943-19781944-19781943-19821943-1982 | - |
  
  ### Submarine chasers
  
  | Class | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Jägaren class | Sweden | Submarine chaser | HSwMS JägarenHSwMS KaparenHSwMS SnapphanenHSwMS Väktaren | 4 | 1932-19591933-19591934-1959 1934-1959 | The ship type was called ”vedettbåt” in Swedish used in anti-submarine warfare and for mine clearance. Equipped with two 75 mm guns, anti-aircraft guns and depth charges. |
  
  ### Patrol boats
  
  | Class | Origin | Type | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | A class | Sweden | Patrol boat | The ship type was called ”vedettbåt” in Swedish. 40 boats where built for the coastal artillery. The boats where equipped with one 37 mm M/89 canon and had a crew of six men. |
  
  ### Mine warfare ships
  
  | Class | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Älvsnabben class | Sweden | Mine layer | HSwMS Älvsnabben | 1 | 1943-1982 | |
  
  ### Auxiliary ships
  
  | Class | Origin | Type | Names | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | HSwMS Patricia | Sweden | Submarine tender | HSwMS Patricia | 1 | 1940-1971 | Passenger ship purchased by the Swedish navy and converted to a submarine tender. Transported Swedish crew members for sailing the four Italian destroyers purchased by the Swedish navy home to Sweden. |
  | HSwMS Dristigheten | Sweden | Seaplane tender | HSwMS Dristigheten | 1 | 1900-1947 | An improved Oden-class coastal defence ship and sole member of her class. Converted to a depot ship/seaplane tender in 1927 |
  | HSwMS Jacob Bagge | Sweden | Training ship | HSwMS Jacob Bagge | 1 | 1898-1947 | Originally an Örnen-class torpedo cruiser. Converted to a seaplane tender (1927-1935) then to a training ship from 1941 and onwards. |
  | Hjkr 3 Drottning Victoria | Sweden | Support cruiser | Hjkr 3 Drottning Victoria | 1 | 1939-1945 | Passenger liner called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Converted to a minelaying cruiser as there was a shortage of minelayers in 1939 because minelayer HSwMS Clas Fleming was undergoing modernization. |
  | Hjkr 4 Waria | Sweden | Support cruiser | Hjkr 4 Waria | 1 | 1939-1945 | Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Waria was called in to service due to the Soviet Union's attack on Finland. Rebuilt at Finnboda shipyard and completed on April 5, 1940 to suite her new role. She was used mainly as an escort ship. She was returned to Sveabolaget for civil duties in 1945. |
  | Hjkr 5 Warun | Sweden | Support cruiser | Hjkr 5 Warun | 1 | 1939-1945 | Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Warun was called into service because of the outbreak of the Finnish Winter War on November 30. In 1939 she was rebuilt at Finnboda Shipyard to suite her new role in the navy. The ship was mainly used in escort duties. She was returned to Sveabolaget for civil duties in 1945. |
  | Hjkr 10 Fidra | Sweden | Support cruiser | Hjkr 10 Fidra | 1 | 1939-1945 | Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Fidra was rebuilt at Götaverken shipyards in Gothenburg to suite her new role and was completed on April 2, 1940. She replaced the auxiliary cruiser Drottning Viktoria (Hjkr 3) as a minelayer. She was returned to Sveabolaget in for civil duties 1945. |
  | Hjkr 14 Wiros | Sweden | Support cruiser | Hjkr 14 Wiros | 1 | 1939-1945 | Civilian cargo ship called in to service by the Royal Swedish Navy. Wiros was called in as an auxiliary cannon boat due to the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 and was rebuilt at Gävle shipyard. During the rebuilding she was classified as an auxiliary cruiser and was mainly used for escort duties. She was returned to Sveabolaget for civil duties in 1945. |
  
  ## Air force
  
  Sweden's air force at the beginning of World War II was relatively small and lacked modern radar systems, engines, or weaponry. This changed during the build-up in the 1940s, though, eventually providing Sweden with an aircraft storage that was both numerous and of high quality, in preparation for the Cold War.
  
  ### Fighter aircraft
  
  Just as the rest of the Swedish Armed Forces, the number of fighter aircraft increased drastically from 98 before the war to almost 600 in 1945. 239 additional aircraft were manufactured immediately after the war.
  
  Number of fighters pre-war: 98
  
  Number of fighters in 1939: 158
  
  Number of fighters in 1940: 290
  
  Number of fighters in 1941: 290
  
  Number of fighters in 1942: 485
  
  Number of fighters in 1943: 485
  
  Number of fighters in 1944: 485
  
  Number of fighters in 1945: 593
  
  Number of fighters post-war: 832
  
  | Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | J 3 | Netherlands | Biplane fighter aircraft | J 3B | 7 | 1930-1945 | Another 8 aircraft were in use prior to the war |
  | J 6 | Sweden | Biplane fighter aircraft | J 6J 6AJ 6B | 737 | 1929–1941 | 3 donated to Finland for the Winter War |
  | J 7 | United Kingdom | Biplane reconnaissance aircraft | J 7 | 11 | 1930–1940 | 2 donated to Finland for the Winter War |
  | J 8 | United Kingdom Sweden | Biplane reconnaissance aircraft | J 8J 8A | 3718 | 1937-19421938-1945 | Some used in Finland |
  | J 9 | United States | Fighter aircraft | J 9 | 60 | 1940–1951 | Sweden's first monoplane aircraft |
  | J 11 | Italy | Biplane fighter aircraft | J 11 | 72 | 1940–1946 | - |
  | J 20 | Italy | Fighter aircraft | J 12 | 60 | 1939–1945 | - |
  | J 21 | Sweden | Fighter and attack aircraft | J 21A-1 | 54 | 1945–1949 | Another 128 aircraft were built immediately after the war |
  | J 22 | Sweden | Fighter aircraft | J 22AJ 22B | 14355 | 1942–1952 | Numbers may not be correct for the World War II era; some may have been built in 1946 |
  | J 26 | United States | Fighter aircraft | P-51BP-51D | 252 | 1945–1954 | Originally P-51 Mustang, another 111 aircraft purchased immediately after the war |
  
  ### Bomber aircraft
  
  During World War II the Swedish government maintained a neutral (alternatively, defensive) stance and thus saw no priority in adding offensive aircraft to the air force. Despite this, a fairly large number of bombers and ground-attack aircraft served in the Swedish air force during World War II and after, possibly for intimidation purposes - in fact, after 1940, Sweden had more bombers than fighter aircraft. These offensive aircraft may have been meant to attack Soviet naval bases in the Baltic Sea, and some of the later designs could even reach Moscow with full payload.
  
  Number of bombers pre-war: 88
  
  Number of bombers in 1939: 116
  
  Number of bombers in 1940: 276
  
  Number of bombers in 1941: 346
  
  Number of bombers in 1942: 534
  
  Number of bombers in 1943: 743
  
  Number of bombers in 1944: 775
  
  Number of bombers in 1945: 879
  
  | Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | B 3 | Germany | Bomber aircraft | B 3B 3AB 3BB 3CB 3D | 33521616 | 1936-19481937-19581937-19581939-19441941-1958 | 72 total |
  | B 4 | United Kingdom | Biplane bomber | B 4B 4A | 342 | 1937–1947 | 5 used in the Winter War |
  | B 5 | United States | Ground attack aircraft | B 5AB 5BB 5C | 16438 | 1938-19421940-19501941-1950 | 103 total |
  | B 6 | United States Sweden | Ground attack aircraft | B 6 | 2 | 1940-1953 | More were ordered but never entered service |
  | B 16 | Italy Sweden | Light bomberReconnaissance aircraftReconnaissance aircraftTorpedo bomberLight transport | B 16AS 16AS 16BT 16ATp 16A | 306614142 | 1940-19431940-19451942-19451941-19421941-1946 | 126 total |
  | Saab 17 | Sweden | Bomber and reconnaissance aircraft | B 17B 17BB 17CS 17BLS 17BS | 13254776456 | 1943-19481942-19451943-19471942-19491942-1949 | 383 total |
  | Saab 18 | Sweden | Bomber and reconnaissance aircraft | B 18AB 18B | 62120 | 1944-19471945-1958 | - |
  | T 1 | Germany Sweden | Torpedo bomber | T 1 | 2 | 1928–1939 | - |
  | T 2 | Germany | Torpedo bomber seaplane | T 2 | 12 | 1939–1948 | - |
  
  ### Auxiliary aircraft
  
  | Name | Origin | Type | Versions | Quantity | In service | Notes |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Trp 1 | Germany | Small passenger transport aircraft | Trp 1 | 3 | 1928-1946 | The world's first all-metal transport aircraft |
  | Trp 2 | Germany | Passenger and transport aircraft | Trp 2Trp 2A | 02 | 1933-1945 | One Trp 2 was in use until 1935 |
  | Trp 3 | United Kingdom | Light transport aircraft | Trp 3 | 1 | 1936-1942 | - |
  | Trp 4 | United States | Trainer and utility aircraft | Trp 4 | 1 | 1940-1953 | - |
  | Tp 5 | Germany | Transport aircraft | Tp 5 | 5 | 1940-1945 | - |
  | Tp 6 | United States | STOL aircraft | Tp 6 | 1 | 1940-1941 | - |
  | Tp 7 | United Kingdom | Transport and trainer aircraft | Tp 7 | 1 | 1940-1944 | Still preserved in flying condition |
  | Tp 8 | United States | Biplane transport aircraft | Tp 8Tp 8A | 31 | 1940-???? | - |
  | Tp 9 | Germany | Bomber, reconnaissance and airliner | Tp 9 | 1 | 1940-???? | - |
  | Tp 10 | Netherlands | Airliner | Tp 10 | 1 | 1942-1944 | - |
  | Tp 11 | Poland | Reconnaissance aircraft | Tp 11 | 1 | 1939-1951 | - |
  | Tp 12 | Sweden | Reconnaissance aircraft | GV 38 | 6 | 1941-1945 | - |
  