Stridskraften

Stridskraften, literally "the combat power," is a concept used in military theory and Swedish defense discourse to describe the overall ability of a military force to conduct operations and deliver effects on the battlefield. It encompasses not only the quantity of personnel and materiel, but also the quality of training, readiness, organization, logistics, and the capacity to integrate across domains such as land, air, sea, cyberspace, and space. The emphasis is on how quickly and effectively forces can be deployed, sustained, and adapted to evolving objectives and threats.

Key components include: personnel strength and competence; equipment readiness and modernization; mobility and reach; sustainment and logistics; command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I); firepower and ISR capabilities; and resilience and interoperability with allies. Doctrine, leadership, and industrial capacity influence stridskraften by shaping how quickly forces can be mobilized, commanded, and replenished.

Assessment of stridskraften combines quantitative indicators (available combat units, equipment readiness rates, maintenance backlogs, mobilization potential) with qualitative factors (training quality, leadership, interoperability, and decision-making speed). It is used to guide defense planning, deterrence strategies, and crisis management, and to evaluate long-term sustainability of force structures in light of technological change and budget realities.

See also: military capability, defense planning, deterrence, Swedish military history.