The military base in the Swedish town Enköping will become the logistics base for NATO’s deployment area in Sweden and for troops from the US, according to a government decision today. ‘With our Swedish territory, we have an important role to play in NATO’s deterrence and defence,’ said Defence Minister Pål Jonson.
NATO troop movements in northern Europe will be controlled from Sweden, according to Swedish State Television. This has been decided following negotiations with NATO and a government decision today.
NATO has been offered the opportunity to establish a logistics headquarters in Enköping, where around 70 people will be employed by NATO as starters.
The headquarters in Enköping will be a so-called Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters (JLSG HQ), under Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC) for the Joint Operations Area Northwest (JOA NW) in Sweden.
The Swedish Government writes:
‘Sweden and the other Nordic countries will in the near future be gathered within NATO’s Joint Operations Area Northwest, and this will entail a need for a JLSG HQ within the new area of operations.’
‘The work will involve transporting various supplies, such as fuel, ammunition and spare parts. It is about being able to transport large resources of equipment and personnel across Swedish territory’ … ‘Sweden has an important geographical location within NATO, and our ability to transport resources and personnel will be very important,’ says Pål Jonson.
The staff will be part of NATO’s command structure and will be centrally controlled by NATO. All allied countries can place staff officers at the base.
Russia has not yet commented on the decision.