Chief of Air Force (Sweden)

Most senior appointment in the Swedish Air Force

Chief of Air Force

Flygvapenchef

Command flag of the Chief of Air Force.

Incumbent
Major general Jonas Wikman

since 14 December 2022

Swedish Air Force
Abbreviation| FVC
Reports to| Chief of Armed Forces Training & Procurement[1]
Seat| Lidingövägen 24, Stockholm, Sweden
Nominator| Minister for Defence
Appointer| The Government
Constituting instrument| FIB 2020:5, Chapter 13 a
Formation| 1 July 1926
First holder| Karl Amundson
Deputy| Deputy Chief of Air Force

Chief of Air Force (Swedish: Flygvapenchef, FVC) is the most senior appointment in the Swedish Air Force. The position Chief of Air Force was introduced in 1926 and the current form in 2014.

## History

[edit]

The position and the staff agency "Chief of the Air Force" (Swedish: Chefen för flygvapnet, C FV) was created for a central leadership of the Air Force in peacetime[2][3] through the formation of the Swedish Air Force as an independent military branch which took place on 1 July 1926.[4] Following a larger reorganization of the Swedish Armed Forces in 1994, the staff agency Chief of the Air Force ceased to exist as an independent agency. Instead, the post Chief of Air Force Command (Swedish: Chefen för flygvapenledningen, C FVL) was created at the then newly instituted Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters. In 1998, the Swedish Armed Forces was again reorganized. Most of the duties of the Chief of Air Force Command were transferred to the newly instituted post of "Inspector General of the Air Force" (Swedish: Generalinspektören för flygvapnet, GI FV). The post is similar to that of the "Inspector General of the Army" (Swedish: Generalinspektören för armén) and the "Inspector General of the Navy" (Swedish: Generalinspektören för marinen).[5]

The Inspector General had two roles, partly to be head of the Air Force Center, and partly to be the main representative of the Air Force. The meaning of the latter task was that the Inspector General was the air force's figurehead both towards the air force personnel and within the Swedish Armed Forces in general and towards society and the outside world. As commander, he would represent everyone who has their work in the air force. To be able to solve this task, the Inspector General was part of the Swedish Armed Forces' senior command – the Military Command (Militärledningen). In this he represented the air force but also had an important role as an "independent" adviser to the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces. The Inspector General also played an important representative role in connection with the then increasing international operations. He represented the air force in connection with various forms of high-level visits within and outside the country. He also served as host when other nations' air force commanders visited Sweden.[6]

The Inspector General was later renamed "Inspector of the Air Force" (Swedish: Flygvapeninspektören, FVI).[3] On 1 January 2014, the "Chief of Air Force" (Swedish: Flygvapenchefen, FVC) position was reinstated in the Swedish Armed Forces. The position has not the same duties as before.[7]

## Tasks

[edit]

Tasks of the Chief of Air Force:[8]

* Lead the units which the Chief of Swedish Armed Forces Training and Development has distributed
* To the Chief of Swedish Armed Forces Training and Development propose the development of the units' abilities
* Being the foremost representative of the units
* Represent the units and the area of ability in international contacts

## Heraldry

[edit]

The command flag of the Chief of Air Force is drawn by Brita Grep and embroidered by hand by the company Libraria. Blazon: "Fessed in yellow and blue; on yellow two blue batons of command with sets of open yellow crowns placed two and one in saltire, on blue a winged two-bladed yellow propeller."[9]

## List of chiefs

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|

Chief of the Air Force (Chefen för flygvapnet, C FV)

| Amundson, KarlMajor general
Karl Amundson
(1873–1938)| 1 July 1926| 25 February 1931| 4 years, 239 days| -

| Virgin, EricMajor general
Eric Virgin
(1876–1950)| 26 February 1931| 30 June 1934| 3 years, 124 days| -

| Friis, TorstenMajor general
Torsten Friis
(1882–1967)| 1 July 1934| 30 June 1942| 7 years, 364 days| -

| Nordenskiöld, BengtLieutenant general
Bengt Nordenskiöld
(1891–1983)| 1 July 1942| 30 June 1954| 11 years, 364 days| [10]

| Ljungdahl, AxelLieutenant general
Axel Ljungdahl
(1897–1995)| 1 July 1954| 30 June 1960| 5 years, 365 days| -

| Rapp, TorstenLieutenant general
Torsten Rapp
(1905–1993)| 1 July 1960[note 1]| 30 September 1961| 1 year, 91 days| [11]

| Thunberg, LageLieutenant general
Lage Thunberg
(1905–1977)| 1 October 1961| 30 September 1968| 6 years, 273 days| [12]

| Nordenskiöld, Claës-HenrikMajor general
Claës-Henrik Nordenskiöld
(1917–2003)
Acting| 1 July 1968| 30 September 1968| 91 days| -

| Norén, StigLieutenant general
Stig Norén
(1908–1996)| 1 October 1968| 30 September 1973| 4 years, 364 days| -

| Stenberg, DickLieutenant general
Dick Stenberg
(1921–2004)| 1 October 1973| 30 September 1982| 8 years, 364 days| [13]
10|

| Olson, Sven-OlofLieutenant general
Sven-Olof Olson
(1926–2021)| 1 October 1982| 30 September 1988| 5 years, 365 days| [14]
11|

| Englund, Lars-ErikLieutenant general
Lars-Erik Englund
(1934–2010)| 1 October 1988| 30 June 1994| 5 years, 272 days| [15][16]
Chief of Air Force Command (Chef för flygvapenledningen, C FVL)
11|

| Englund, Lars-ErikLieutenant general
Lars-Erik Englund
(1934–2010)| 1 July 1994| 30 September 1994| 91 days| [16]
12|

| Harrskog, KentLieutenant general
Kent Harrskog
(born 1944)| 1 October 1994| 30 June 1998| 3 years, 364 days| [16][17]
Inspector General of the Air Force (Generalinspektör för flygvapnet, GI FV)
13|

| Jonsson, JanMajor general
Jan Jonsson
(1952–2021)| 1 July 1998| 30 June 2000| 1 year, 365 days| [17][18]
14|

| Nilsson, MatsMajor general
Mats Nilsson
(born 1956)| 1 July 2000| 1 December 2002| 2 years, 153 days| [18][19]
Inspector of the Air Force (Flygvapeninspektör, FVI)
15|

| Andersson, JanMajor general
Jan Andersson
(born 1955)| 1 January 2003| 29 February 2008| 5 years, 59 days| [19]
16|

| Silwer, AndersMajor general
Anders Silwer
(born 1959)| 1 March 2008| 31 December 2011| 3 years, 305 days| [20]
17|

| Bydén, MicaelMajor general
Micael Bydén
(born 1964)| 1 January 2012| 2014| 1–2 years| [21]
Chief of Air Force (Flygvapenchef, FVC)
17|

| Bydén, MicaelMajor general
Micael Bydén
(born 1964)| 2014| 30 September 2015| 0–1 years| -
18|

| Helgesson, MatsMajor general
Mats Helgesson
(born 1964)| 1 October 2015| 1 October 2019| 4 years, 0 days| [22][23]
19|

| Edström, Carl-JohanMajor general
Carl-Johan Edström
(born 1967)| 1 October 2019| 13 December 2022| 3 years, 73 days| [23]
20|

| Wikman, JonasMajor general
Jonas Wikman
(born 1972)| 14 December 2022| Incumbent| 2 years, 246 days| [24]

## List of deputy chiefs

[edit]

Portrait  | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Deputy Inspector General of Air Force (Ställföreträdande generalinspektör för flygvapnet)

| Wagermark, OweSenior colonel
Owe Wagermark
(born 1951)| 1998| 31 December 2000| 1–2 years| [25][26]

| Andersson, JanBrigadier general
Jan Andersson
(born 1955)| 1 April 2001| 31 December 2002| 1–2 years| [26][19]
Deputy Chief of Air Force (Ställföreträdande flygvapenchef)

| Edström, Carl-JohanBrigadier general
Carl-Johan Edström
(born 1967)| 1 January 2019| 30 September 2019| 272 days| [23]

| Persson, AndersBrigadier general
Anders Persson
(born 1968)| 1 October 2019| August 2022| 2–3 years| [27]

| Petersson, TommyBrigadier general
Tommy Petersson [sv]
(born 1970)| 1 August 2022| Incumbent| 3 years, 16 days| [28]

## See also

[edit]

* Chief of Army (Sweden)
* Chief of Navy (Sweden)

## Footnotes

[edit]

1. ^ Appointed on 15 January 1960 but didn't take office until 1 July 1960.[11]

## References

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ "Försvarsmaktens interna bestämmelser med arbetsordning för Försvarsmakten (FMArbo) - FIB 2020:5" (PDF). FÖRSVARSMAKTENS INTERNA BESTÄMMELSER (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 16 December 2020. p. 5. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
2. ^ "Chefen för flygvapnet". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 11 March 2016.
3. ^ a b Försvarets traditioner i framtiden med översiktlig historik från 1500-talet (PDF) (in Swedish). Statens försvarshistoriska museer TradN. 2015. p. 12\. ISBN 9789197859554. SELIBR 17552963. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-24.
4. ^ "Lars-Erik Englund, flygvapenchef 1988–1994" (PDF). F18-kamraten: tidning för F18 kamratförening med medlemmar ur Kungl Södertörns flygflottilj/flygvapnets Södertörnsskolor (in Swedish) (42). Uttran: F18 kamratförening: 3. 2010. SELIBR 10339544.
5. ^ Nordgren, Annika; et al. (24 February 1998). "Motion till riksdagen 1997/98:Fö3" (in Swedish). Riksdag. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
6. ^ Wagermark, Owe (1998). "Flygvapnet centrum är Flygvapencentrum" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (3). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 4. SELIBR 8257600.
7. ^ "Nya namn på nya poster" [New names for new positions] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
8. ^ Försvarets författningssamling: FFS 2013:4 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: TF-redaktionen, Försvarets materielverk. 2013-12-23. p. 18\. ISSN 0347-7576. SELIBR 3683131.
9. ^ Braunstein, Christian (2004). Svenska försvarsmaktens fälttecken efter millennieskiftet [The flags and standards of the Swedish armed forces after the turn of the millennium] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 7 [dvs 8] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. p. 108\. ISBN 91-971584-7-X. SELIBR 9815350. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-05-22. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
10. ^ Böhme, Klaus-Richard (1990–1991). "Bengt G Nordenskiöld". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Vol. 27\. National Archives of Sweden. p. 292. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
11. ^ a b Norén, Stig (1995–1997). "B Torsten Rapp". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Vol. 29\. National Archives of Sweden. p. 675. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
12. ^ Skoglund, Claës (2009). Det bästa försvarsbeslut som aldrig kom till stånd: ett kontrafaktiskt uppslag (PDF). Publikation / Försvaret och det kalla kriget (FOKK), 1652-5388 ; 17 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Svenskt militärhistoriskt bibliotek. p. 48\. ISBN 9789185789573. SELIBR 11704940. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2018.
13. ^ Scheiderbauer, Sven (2007–2011). "Dick Stenberg". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Vol. 33\. National Archives of Sweden. p. 225. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
14. ^ Wennerholm 2015, p. 154
15. ^ Charleville, Jahn, ed. (1988). "Ny CFV" [New Chief of the Air Force] (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 2. SELIBR 8257600.
16. ^ a b c "Flygvapnets nye chef" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 2. 1994. SELIBR 8257600.
17. ^ a b "Flygvapnets främste företrädare: Generalmajor JAN JONSSON" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (2). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 2–3\. 1998. SELIBR 8257600.
18. ^ a b Liander, Peter (2000). "Mats Nilsson. Ny GI för flygvapnet" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (2). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 38. SELIBR 8257600.
19. ^ a b c Liander, Peter (2002). "Mats Nilsson lämnar GI-posten. Jan Andersson tar över" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 5. SELIBR 8257600.
20. ^ "VIKBO 1960" (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
21. ^ Bydén, Micael (1 January 2012). "I NY BEFATTNING!" (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
22. ^ "Mats Helgesson ny flygvapenchef" [Mats Helgesson new Chief of Air Force] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
23. ^ a b c "Ny flygvapenchef utsedd" [New Chief of Air Force appointed] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
24. ^ "Jonas Wikman blir ny chef för flygvapnet" [Jonas Wikman will be the new Chief of Air Force] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
25. ^ Kjellander, Rune (2013). Svenska flygvapnets högre chefer 1925-2005: chefsbiografier och befattningsöversikter (in Swedish). Värmdö: Rune Kjellander. p. 111\. ISBN 9789163711831. SELIBR 15870537.
26. ^ a b "På nya befattningar" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 46. 2001. SELIBR 8257600.
27. ^ Ullman, Angela (2 October 2019). "Ny flygvapenchef tog befälet" (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
28. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 8. 2022. SELIBR 4109339.

### Print

[edit]

* Wennerholm, Bertil, ed. (2015). Så kom JAS-projektet till: vittnesseminarium kring beslutsprocessen om JAS 39 1979-1983 : 11 november 2013. Forskningsprojektet Försvaret och det kalla kriget (FOKK), 1652-5388 ; 45 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Forskningsprojektet Försvaret och det kalla kriget (FoKK. ISBN 9789198049886. SELIBR 18205009.

* v
* t
* e

Leadership of the Swedish Armed Forces

(Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters)

Agency executives|

* Chief of Defence (ÖB)
* Director General of the Swedish Armed Forces (GD)

Defence Board|

* Chief of Defence (ÖB)
* Director General of the Swedish Armed Forces (GD)
* Chief of the Defence Staff (C FST)
* Chief of Joint Operations (C OPL)
* Chief financial officer of the Swedish Armed Forces (EKDIR/C PLANEK/STF C LEDS)
* Chief of Armed Forces Training & Procurement (C PROD)
* Chief of Policy and Plans Department (C LEDS INRI)
* Director of Military Intelligence and Security (C MUST)
* Director of Legal Staff and Chief Legal Adviser (C JUR)
* Director of Human Resources (PERSDIR)
* Director of Communication and Public Affairs (KOMDIR)

Branch/arms chiefs|

* Chief of Army (AC)
* Chief of Air Force (CFV)
* Chief of Navy (CM)
* Chief of Defence Logistics (FLOG C)
* Chief of Communications and Information Systems (LSC)
* Chief of Home Guard (RIKSHVC)

Others|

* Deputy Chief of Joint Operations (STF C OPL)
* Deputy Director of Military Intelligence & Security (STF C MUST)
* Surgeon-General of the Swedish Armed Forces (GL)
* Assistant Chief of Armed Forces Training & Procurement/Chief of Training (C FÖRBPROD)
* Assistant Chief of Armed Forces Training & Procurement/Chief of Procurement (C MTRLPROD)
* Director of Plans (and Deputy Head of Plans and Finance) (STF C PLANEK)
* Deputy Director of Human Resources (Stf PERSDIR)
* Deputy Director Legal Staff (Stf C JUR)
* Head Armed Forces Headquarters (C HKV)
* Deputy Head Armed Forces Headquarters (STF C HKV)
* Chief of Safety Inspectorate (C SÄKINSP)
* Commander, Special Forces Command (C SFL)
* Commandant General in Stockholm
* Commandant of Stockholm

Army|

* Chief of Army (AC)
* Deputy Chief of Army (STF AC)
* Chief of the Army Staff (CAst)

Air Force|

* Chief of Air Force (CFV)
* Deputy Chief of Air Force (STF CFV)
* Chief of the Air Staff (CFS)

Navy|

* Chief of Navy (MC)
* Deputy Chief of Navy (STF MC)
* Chief of the Naval Staff (CMS)

Ministry of Defence|

* Director-General National Defence Radio Establishment
* Director-General Defence Materiel Administration
* Director-General Defence Research Agency
* Director-General Defence Conscription and Assessment Agency
* Chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Court
* Chairman of the Foreign Intelligence Inspectorate

Military of Sweden

* v
* t
* e

Chiefs of the air force by country

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Swaziland
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

Former|

* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* British Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Rhodesia
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Asia|

* Abkhazia
* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* East Timor
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* IRIAF
* NEHSA
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* North Korea
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Republic of China (Taiwan)
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

Former|

* Democratic Kampuchea
* Imperial Japan
* Mengjiang
* Manchukuo
* South Vietnam

Europe|

* Albania
* Austria
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Ireland
* Italy
* Kosovo
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Vatican

Former|

* Austria–Hungary
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* Prussia
* Imperial Germany
* Nazi Germany
* East Germany
* Ottoman Empire
* Russian Empire
* Soviet Union
* Yugoslavia

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

*[No.]: Number
*[Ref.]: Reference(s)
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template