Norrbotten Brigade

Norrbottensbrigaden
Active| 1949–2000
2022–present
Country|  Sweden
Branch|  Swedish Army
Size| Brigade
Part of| Norrbotten Regiment (peacetime)
1st Division (wartime)
Headquarters| Boden Garrison, Norrbotten
Motto(s)| De hava aldrig svikit eller för egen del tappat
("They have never failed or for their own part lost")
Beret colour|   Black
March| "Finska rytteriets marsch" [note 1]
Battle honours| Landskrona (1677)
Düna (1701)
Kliszów (1702)
Fraustadt (1706)
Malatitze (1708)
Strömstad (1717)
Commanders
Commander| Col Gustaf Dufberg
Insignia
Branch insignia|
Unit insignia|

Military unit

The Norrbotten Brigade (Swedish: Norrbottensbrigaden), or the 19th Arctic Mechanized Brigade (NMekB 19),[2] is a Swedish Army mechanized brigade located in the county of Norrbotten, active since 2022. It was previously active from 1949 to 2000. The brigade is located at Boden Garrison with the Norrbotten Regiment.

## History

[edit]

Norrbotten Brigade was originally an infantry brigade which in 1964 became the second of a total of five brigades, which was organised as an arctic brigade.

In 1994, the brigade, along with the regiment (I 19/P 5) formed the Norrland Mechanised Brigade (MekB 19). The brigade consisted of two tank battalions equipped with Leopard 2s and Combat Vehicle 90s, and two mechanised battalions equipped with CV90.

The unit was disbanded as a result of the disarmament policies set forward in the Defence Act of 2000. In 2021, following the Defence Act of 2020,[3] the 3rd Brigade was disbanded and the equipment was transferred to the Norrbotten Brigade[2] which would be re-established in 2022 with the task of defending the Swedish north.[4]

### Organization

[edit]

As of 2022, the planned wartime organization of the Norrbotten Brigade at full operational capacity is as follows,[5] with full capability expected to be reached by 2028:[4]

* Norrbotten Brigade - 19th Arctic Mechanized Brigade (NMekB 19), in Boden[note 2]
* 19th Brigade Staff
* 19th Brigade Command Company[note 3]
* 19th Brigade Reconnaissance Company
* 19th Brigade Air Defence Company
* 19th Brigade Signals Company[note 4]
* 191st Mechanized Battalion
* 192nd Mechanized Battalion
* 193rd Mechanized Battalion
* 19th Brigade Artillery Battalion[note 5]
* 19th Brigade Engineer Battalion[note 6]
* 19th Brigade Support Battalion[note 7]
* 19th Tank Transport Company[note 8]

## Heraldry and traditions

[edit]

The Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade inherited heraldry and traditions from the Norrbotten Regiment.[6]

### Coat of arms

[edit]

The coat of arms of the Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade (MekB 19) 1994–2000 was also used by the Norrbotten Armoured Battalion (P 5) 1957–1975. Blazon: "Azure, powdered with estoiles or, the provincial badge of Västerbotten, a reindeer courant argent, armed and langued gules. The shield surmounted two arms in fess, embowed and vambraced, the hands holding swords in saltire, or".[7]

### March

[edit]

By the end of the 1800s, Norrbotten Regiment adopted the march "Norrbottens fältjägare" (Sundgrén).[8] In 1916 it adopted the march "Finska rytteriets marsch" which was used from 1916 to 1927 together with Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment (I 7). Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment used the march as an inheritance from the Småland Hussar Regiment (Smålands husarregemente, K 4). After the regiment was amalgamated into a brigade in 1994, the brigade came to use the march. From 2000 it is used again by the regiment.[1]

## Commanders

[edit]

The commanders of the brigade throughout its history are as follows: [9]

* 1949–1993: ?
* 1993–1994: Col Bengt Jerkland
* 1994–1999: Col Lars-Gunnar Nilsson
* 1999–2000: Col Per Lodin
* 2000–2022: Inactive
* 2022–2023: Col Lars O Jonsson
* 2023–2024: Col Gustaf Dufberg
* 2024–present: Col Daniel Rydberg[10]

## Attributes

[edit]

Name  | Translation  | From  |  | To

|
|
|
|

Norrbottens­brigaden | Norrbotten Brigade  | 1949-10-01  | –  | 1994-06-30
Norrbottens regemente och Norrbottens­brigaden | Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade  | 1994-07-01  | –  | 2000-06-30
Norrbottens­brigaden | Norrbotten Brigade  | 2022-01-01  | –  |
Designation  |  | From  |  | To
IB 19 |  | 1949-10-01  | –  | 1964-??-??
NB 19 |  | 1964-??-??  | –  | 1994-06-30
MekB 19 |  | 1994-07-01  | –  | 2000-06-30
NMekB 19 |  | 2022-01-01  | –  |
Location  |  | From  |  | To
Boden Garrison |  | 1949-10-01  | –  | 2000-06-30
Boden Garrison  |  | 2022-01-01  | –  |

## See also

[edit]

* Norrbotten Regiment
* List of Swedish Army brigades

## Footnotes

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1. ^ The march was adopted in 1994.[1]
2. ^ Responsible for the defence of northern Sweden.
3. ^ Organized from the 11th Management Battalion of the Command and Control Regiment.
4. ^ Organized from the 12th Signals Battalion of the Command and Control Regiment.
5. ^ Organized from the 91st Artillery Battalion of the Boden Artillery Regiment.
6. ^ Organized from the 22nd Engineer Battalion of the Göta Engineer Regiment.
7. ^ Organized from the 2nd Logistics Battalion of the Göta Logistic Regiment.
8. ^ Organized from the 1st Heavy Transport Company of the Skaraborg Regiment.

## References

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Sandberg 2007, p. 10
2. ^ a b Issuu 2022
3. ^ Riksdagen 2020
4. ^ a b Carlsson 2024
5. ^ Försvarsmakten 2022
6. ^ Braunstein 2003, p. 336
7. ^ Braunstein 2006, p. 25
8. ^ Sandberg 2007, p. 76
9. ^ Kjellander 2003, pp. 290–291
10. ^ Norrbotten Regiment 2024

### Print

[edit]

* Braunstein, Christian (2003). Sveriges arméförband under 1900-talet. Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023; 5 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-4-5. SELIBR 8902928.
* Braunstein, Christian (2006). Heraldiska vapen inom det svenska försvaret [Heraldry of the Swedish Armed Forces] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023; 9 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-9-6. SELIBR 10099224. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-10-02.
* Kjellander, Rune (2003). Sveriges regementschefer 1700-2000: chefsbiografier och förbandsöversikter (in Swedish). Stockholm: Probus. ISBN 91-87184-74-5. SELIBR 8981272.
* Sandberg, Bo (2007). Försvarets marscher och signaler förr och nu: marscher antagna av svenska militära förband, skolor och staber samt igenkännings-, tjänstgörings- och exercissignaler (in Swedish) (New ed.). Stockholm: Militärmusiksamfundet med Svenskt marscharkiv. ISBN 978-91-631-8699-8. SELIBR 10413065.

### Web

[edit]

* Försvarsmakten (2022). "Planerad utveckling av krigsorganisationen 2021-2030" [Planned development of the war organization 2021-2030] (PDF). forsvarsmakten.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-10. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
* Riksdagen (2020-10-15). "Totalförsvaret 2021–2025 (Proposition 2020/21:30)". riksdagen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-07-15.
* Carlsson, Mats (2024-12-03). "Sambands- och ledningssoldater - viktiga byggstenar till Norrbottensbrigaden". forsvarsmakten.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2025-03-28.
* Issuu (2022). "Arbetet med att utöka och utveckla Norrbottensbrigaden". issuu.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 2025-03-28.
* Norrbotten Regiment (2024-04-11). "NY CHEF FÖR NORRBOTTENSBRIGADEN – LÅSET I NORR". facebook.com (in Swedish). Facebook. Retrieved 2025-03-30.

## Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Norrbotten Brigade.

* Hultstrand, Birger, ed. (1972). Kungl. Norrbottens regementes historia 1841-1966 (in Swedish). Boden: Kungl. Norrbottens regementes kamratfören. SELIBR 784836.
* Janse, Stefan, ed. (2007). Minnesskrift: Norrbottens regemente 100 år i Boden : 1907-2007 (in Swedish). Boden: Norrbottens regemente, I 19 i samarbete med Norrbottens regementes kamratförening och Föreningen P5. ISBN 978-91-633-0008-0. SELIBR 10696040.