Brunssum, The Netherlands – From 22 until 24 April 2024, a delegation of 40 NATO Planners from various NATO commands paid a visit to Sweden for the first time following the country’s accession to NATO on 07 March this year. The visit was organised by Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum and conducted under the leadership of Major General Mark Pullan, Head of planning. The purpose of this working visit was to meet with planners from the Swedish Armed Forces and foster the synchronisation and coordination of the military planning process between the Swedish Armed Forces and NATO.
During our visit to the island of Gotland, we witnessed the high level of preparedness of the Swedish Armed Forces
Collaborative planning activity took place at the Swedish Joint Force Command in Stockholm, and the highlight of the visit was a detailed study of the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. Gotland is of immense strategic importance for the defence posture of both Sweden and NATO in the Baltic Sea Region.
On the island, the NATO officers and the accompanying Swedish colleagues, headed by Major General Fredrik Ståhlberg, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations of the Swedish Armed Forces, were welcomed by Colonel Dan Rasmussen, Commander of the Swedish Gotland Regiment. After a briefing in the Regimental barracks, the NATO guests received an extensive tour round the island to familiarise them with the area and deepen their understanding for the unique geo-strategical location of Gotland.
MGen Pullan expressed his gratitude to their Swedish hosts for organising this impressive tour: “During our visit to the island of Gotland, we witnessed the high level of preparedness of the Swedish Armed Forces. I am extremely thankful to our hosts from the Swedish Joint Force Command and in particular the Gotland Regiment under Colonel Rasmussen for providing us such excellent insight. Sweden’s membership makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and all of us more secure!”
The JFCBS Deputy Chief of Staff Plans also mentioned, that cooperation with the Swedish Armed Forces is not new to the Alliance: “Prior to accession to the Alliance Sweden was a NATO partner and we spent decades building mutual trust through training, exercises, and combined operations. Now Sweden is a full NATO member, we can further deepen out practical planning work to assure our processes and procedures are well aligned for an effective deterrence and – if need be – defence of the whole NATO territory in the Baltic Sea Area.”
