Chief of Navy (Sweden)

Most senior appointment in the Swedish Navy

Chief of Navy

Marinchef

Command flag of the Chief of Navy.

Incumbent
Rear Admiral Johan Norlén

since 14 November 2024

Swedish Navy
Abbreviation| MC
Member of| Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters
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| 1936
First holder| Charles de Champs
Deputy| Deputy Chief of Navy

The Chief of Navy (Swedish: marinchef, MC) is the most senior appointment in the Swedish Navy. The position Chief of Navy was introduced in 1936 and the current form in 2014.

## History

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Until 1936 the Swedish monarch was the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces and had formally maintained the Chief of the Navy position together with the Chief of the Military Office of the Minister of Defence in the Ministry of Defence, which is in fact maintained the position. The position of a single professional "Chief of the Navy" (Swedish: Chefen för marinen, CM) was established in 1936 in accordance with the Defence Act of 1936. The position of Chief of the Navy existed from 1936 to 1994 and during this time it was his responsibility to lead the navy units production and development. During the period 1936 to 1961 the Chief of the Navy also had an operational commanding responsibility for the naval forces.[2]

Following a larger reorganization of the Swedish Armed Forces in 1994, the staff agency Chief of the Navy ceased to exist as an independent agency. Instead, the post Chief of Navy Command (Swedish: Chefen för marinledningen) 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 Navy Command were transferred to the newly instituted post of "Inspector General of the Navy" (Swedish: Generalinspektören för marinen). The post is similar to that of the "Inspector General of the Swedish Army" (Swedish: Generalinspektören för armén) and the "Inspector General of the Swedish Air Force" (Swedish: Generalinspektören för flygvapnet).[3] It was later renamed to "Inspector of the Navy" (Swedish: Marininspektören) on 1 January 2003.[4]

On 1 January 2014, the "Chief of Navy" (Swedish: Marinchefen, MC) position was reinstated in the Swedish Armed Forces. The position has not the same duties as before.[5]

## Tasks

[edit]

The newly-appointed chief, Vice Admiral Helge Strömbäck (left) shakes hand with the departing Vice Admiral Fabian Tamm, 1 April 1945.

Tasks of the Chief of Navy:[6]

* 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

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A command flag of the Chief of Navy, drawn by Brita Grep and embroidered by hand by the company Libraria, was introduced during the reign of Gustaf VI Adolf (1950–1973). Blazon: "Fessed in yellow and blue; on yellow two blue batons of command with sets of yellow crowns placed two and one in saltire, on blue an anchor erect cabled over two gun barrels of older pattern in saltire, all yellow."[7]

A new command flag manufactured by Handarbetets Vänner Ateljé, which is a subcontractor to the Swedish Army Museum, was completed in 2020. The flag is embroidered by Jennie Jakobsson and Katarina Öberg. Parts of the preparatory work were done by Anna Eriksson and printed by Marie-Louise Sjöblom. The model drawing was made by Henrik Dahlström, who previously served at the National Archives of Sweden and who is now a heraldic artist and graphic designer at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters. The new command flag was nailed in solemn forms at the Maritime Museum in Stockholm on 10 September 2021 with six former Chiefs of Navy: Vice Admiral Dick Börjesson (1990–1994), Vice Admiral Peter Nordbeck (1994–1998), Rear Admiral Anders Grenstad (2005–2011), Vice Admiral Jan Thörnqvist (2011–2016), Rear Admiral Jens Nykvist (2016–2020), and the then Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum (2020–2024).[8]

* Command flag of the Chief of Navy.

* Command sign of the Chief of Navy.

## List of chiefs

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|
|
|

Chief of the Navy (Chefen för marinen)

| de Champs, CharlesVice admiral
Charles de Champs
(1873–1959)| 1936| 1 April 1939| 2–3 years| [9]

| Tamm, FabianVice admiral
Fabian Tamm
(1879–1955)| 1 April 1939| 31 March 1945| 5 years, 364 days| [9]

| Strömbäck, HelgeVice admiral
Helge Strömbäck
(1889–1960)| 1 April 1945| 30 September 1953| 8 years, 182 days| [10]

| H:son Ericson, StigVice admiral
Stig H:son Ericson
(1897–1985)| 1 October 1953| 1961| 7–8 years| [11]

| Lindemalm, ÅkeVice admiral
Åke Lindemalm
(1910–2004)| 1 October 1961| 30 September 1970| 8–9 years| [12][13]

| Lundvall, BengtVice admiral
Bengt Lundvall
(1915–2010)| 1 October 1970| 30 September 1978| 7 years, 364 days| [14][15]

| Rudberg, PerVice admiral
Per Rudberg
(1922–2010)| 1 October 1978| 30 September 1984| 5 years, 365 days| [15][16]

| Schuback, BengtVice admiral
Bengt Schuback
(1928–2015)| 1 October 1984| 30 September 1990| 5 years, 364 days| [16][17]

| Börjesson, DickVice admiral
Dick Börjesson
(born 1938)| 1 October 1990| 30 June 1994| 3 years, 272 days| [17][18]
Chief of Navy Command (Chef för marinledningen)
10|

| Nordbeck, PeterVice admiral
Peter Nordbeck
(born 1938)| 1 July 1994| 1 July 1998| 4 years, 0 days| [18][19]
Inspector General of the Navy (Generalinspektör för marinen)
11|

| Lindh, TorstenRear admiral
Torsten Lindh
(1941–2020)| 1 July 1998| 2001| 2–3 years| [20]
12|

| Ericsson, JörgenRear admiral
Jörgen Ericsson
(born 1953)| 1 October 2001| 31 December 2002| 1 year, 91 days| [21][4]
Inspector of the Navy (Marininspektör)
12|

| Ericsson, JörgenRear admiral
Jörgen Ericsson
(born 1953)| 1 January 2003| 2005| 1–2 years| [4]
13|

| Grenstad, AndersRear admiral
Anders Grenstad
(born 1958)| 1 July 2005| 2011| 5–6 years| [22]
14|

| Thörnqvist, JanRear admiral
Jan Thörnqvist
(born 1959)| 1 March 2011| 2013| 1–2 years| [23]
Chief of Navy (Marinchef)
14|

| Thörnqvist, JanRear admiral
Jan Thörnqvist
(born 1959)| 1 January 2014| 18 April 2016| 2 years, 108 days| [24]
15|

| Nykvist, JensRear admiral
Jens Nykvist
(born 1968)| 4 May 2016| 21 January 2020| 3 years, 262 days| [25]
16|

| Skoog Haslum, EwaRear admiral
Ewa Skoog Haslum
(born 1968)| 21 January 2020| 14 November 2024| 4 years, 298 days| [26]
17|

| Norlén, JohanRear admiral
Johan Norlén
(born 1971)| 14 November 2024| Incumbent| 126 days| [27]

## List of deputy chiefs

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|
|
|

Deputy Inspector General of the Navy (Ställföreträdande generalinspektör för marinen)

| Fagrell, StellanSenior colonel
Stellan Fagrell
(1943–2022)| 1998| 2001| 2–3 years|
Navy
(Amphibious Corps)| [28]

| Vacant| 2001| 2003| 1–2 years| -| [29]
Deputy Chief of Navy (Ställföreträdande marinchef)

| Olovsson, AndersRear admiral (lower half)
Anders Olovsson
(born 1967)| ?| ?| -|
Navy| [30]

| Ohlsson, PederBrigadier general
Peder Ohlsson
(born 1962)| 20 March 2020| August 2022| 1–2 years|
Navy
(Amphibious Corps)| [31]

| Gardesten, PatrikBrigadier general
Patrik Gardesten
(born 1967)| 1 September 2022| Incumbent| -|
Navy
(Amphibious Corps)| [32]

## See also

[edit]

* Chief of Army (Sweden)
* Chief of Air Force (Sweden)

## 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. ^ 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 on 17 August 2016.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
3. ^ Nordgren, Annika; et al. (24 February 1998). "Motion till riksdagen 1997/98:Fö3" (in Swedish). Riksdag. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
4. ^ a b c "Försvarsgrensinspektörer till Högkvarteret" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 40. 2002. SELIBR 8257600.
5. ^ "Nya namn på nya poster" [New names for new positions] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
6. ^ Försvarets författningssamling: FFS 2013:4 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: TF-redaktionen, Försvarets materielverk. 23 December 2013. p. 18\. ISSN 0347-7576. SELIBR 3683131.
7. ^ 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. 107\. ISBN 91-971584-7-X. SELIBR 9815350. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
8. ^ "Nytt kommandotecken för marinchefen spikades under högtidliga former på Sjöhistoriska muséet 2021-09-10 med sex marinchefer närvarande" (PDF) (in Swedish). Statens försvarshistoriska museers/Försvarets traditionsnämnd. 22 September 2021. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 28 March 2022.1-2&rft.pub=Statens+försvarshistoriska+museers/Försvarets+traditionsnämnd&rft.date=2021-09-22&rft_id=https://sfhm.se/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Nytt-kommandotecken-for-marinchefen-spikades-2021-09-10-utgava-2021-09-22.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Chief+of+Navy+(Sweden)" class="Z3988">
9. ^ a b "Tamm blev marinchef. Efterträder amiral de Champs den 1 april". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 21 January 1939. p. 4A. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
10. ^ Gäfvert, Björn (2013). "Helge Hj I Strömbäck". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (in Swedish). Vol. 34\. National Archives of Sweden. p. 20. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
11. ^ "Amiral Stig Ericson chef för marinen". Expressen (in Swedish). 6 March 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
12. ^ SvD 1961, p. A5.
13. ^ 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.
14. ^ "Synnergren ny ÖB Lundvall marinchef". Göteborgs Handels- och Sjöfartstidning (in Swedish). TT. 10 January 1970. p. 5. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
15. ^ a b Wennerholm 2015, p. 154
16. ^ a b Lidén 1983, p. 7
17. ^ a b SvD 1989, p. 6.
18. ^ a b "Sammanställning över utnämningar och nya befattningar" (PDF). Flygvapennytt (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Flygstaben: 34. 1994. SELIBR 8257600.
19. ^ Öhman, Anders (17 July 1998). "DN gratulerar: En sjöman går iland" [DN congratulates: A sailor goes ashore]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 November 2017.
20. ^ Lindh, Torsten (2002). "Tre år som Generalinspektör för marinen - blev det som jag hade tänkt mig?" (PDF). Tidskrift i sjöväsendet (in Swedish) (1). Carlskrona: 15. SELIBR 8258455.
21. ^ "Ny Generalinspektör för Marinen" [New Inspector General of the Navy]. www.skargardsbryggan.se (in Swedish). Skärgårdarnas Riksförbund. 1 October 2001. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
22. ^ Lidén, Erik (2006). "Marinens officersbrist löses av reservofficerare" [Shortage of navy officers is solved by reserve officers]. Vårt försvar: Tidskrift (in Swedish) (3). Stockholm: Allmänna försvarsföreningen: 5. SELIBR 3430365. Archived from the original on 22 August 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
23. ^ "Jan Thörnqvist blir ny marininspektör" [Jan Thörnqvist becomes new Inspector of the Navy] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
24. ^ "Jan Thörnqvist ny insatschef" (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
25. ^ "Jens Nykvist ny marinchef" [Jens Nykvist new navy chief] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
26. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 8. 2020. SELIBR 4109339.
27. ^ Adamsson, Jimmie (8 November 2024). "Johan Norlén ny marinchef" [Johan Norlén new navy chief] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
28. ^ Kjellander, Rune (2007). Svenska marinens högre chefer 1700-2005: chefsbiografier och befattningsöversikter samt Kungl Örlogsmannasällskapets ämbetsmän och ledamöter 1771-2005 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Probus. pp. 73, 242. ISBN 9789187184833. SELIBR 10452099.
29. ^ Spiegelberg, Christina, ed. (2002). Sveriges statskalender 2002 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. p. 224\. ISBN 9138319519. SELIBR 8428312.
30. ^ Lundqvist Rådmark, Henrik (2020). "EWA SKOOG HASLUMS MILSTOLPAR" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 24. SELIBR 4109339.
31. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (2). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2020. SELIBR 4109339.
32. ^ "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]

* Lidén, Erik (26 August 1983). "ÖB kvar - armén får ny chef" [Supreme Commander remains - the army gets a new chief]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 September 2022.
* 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.
* "Dick Börjesson ny marinchef" [Dick Börjesson new navy chief]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 20 October 1989. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
* KARS (11 March 1966). "Den blivande marinchefen dalmas med stor tillit till ubåtsvapen". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 September 2022.

* 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 navy by country

* Chief of the Naval Staff

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

Former|

* Confederate States of America

Asia|

* Abkhazia
* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* East Timor
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* NEDAJA
* NEDSA
* 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
* Georgia
* Germany
* 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

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