Director General highlights trends and threats and the role of the Swedish Coast Guard in national defence at the Folk och Försvar National Conference

The Swedish Coast Guard taking part in an exercise with the Navy.

Under the title ”The Swedish Coast Guard – an important link between peacetime and war”, Director-General Lena Lindgren Schelin spoke on Monday about the grey zone problem in the maritime environment and the authority’s work in respect of the civil and military aspects of national defence.

“We work in a geographical region that concerns all preparedness sectors and civilian areas. The Swedish Coast Guard is one of the few authorities forming part of several preparedness sectors. We also stand with one foot in military defence,” said Lena Lindgren Schelin in her address.

The Coast Guard’s mission and capabilities in civilian missions are vital for the functionality of society. That said, however, the civilian missions present difficulties in that they have an explicit role to play in military defence.

“There is an expectation gap as regards the Coast Guard’s resources and capabilities. This gap is likely to escalate in a deteriorating security situation. Our focus now is on developing a strategy to make the Coast Guard as stable a link as possible in peacetime and war. We need to ensure an optimal pivot point so that the Coast Guard’s management, staff, vessels, aircraft and other equipment are utilised as effectively as possible in all parts of the threat scale,” says Lena Lindgren Schelin.