Prerequisites for the Transit of Military Forces Through Sweden: An Overview of Infrastructure, Administrative Processes, and Financing Options.

Authors:

  • Andreas Ekeskär
  • Anna Svensson
  • Herman Andersson
  • Erik Lundberg

Publish date: 2026-04-22

Report number: FOI-R--5907--SE

Pages: 44

Written in: Swedish

Keywords:

  • military mobility
  • transit
  • transport infrastructure
  • NATO
  • logistics
  • host nation support
  • defence economics
  • co-financing

Abstract

Sweden's accession to NATO has made the country a key transit and staging area for allied military forces. This study analyses the conditions required for foreign troops to move through Sweden in peacetime, crisis and war. Based on assumptions of volumes of personnel, vehicles and supplies associated with mechanised units, the study looks at the subsequent demands on transport infrastructure. Using generic planning assumptions, the study illustrates the scale of flows that may need to be handled, from brigadelevel movements to divisions and corps. Military transit places significant demands on roads, railways, ports and airfields, as well as on staging areas and logistical nodes. NATO has established standards for loadbearing capacity and functionality that must be met to ensure effective mobility. Administrative processes such as customs clearance and border procedures are equally important to avoid delays. These processes are regulated by status agreements Sweden has entered into with NATO, the EU and the United States. The study also examines opportunities for co-financing infrastructure investments. These possibilities are limited, implying that most costs will likely need to be borne nationally. Overall, the study shows that robust infrastructure, coherent and well-defined planning processes and effective administrative routines are essential for Sweden to fulfil its role within NATO.