Chief of Defence (Sweden)
| Chief of Defence of the Swedish Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
| Överbefälhavaren | |
Command flag of the Chief of Defence | |
since 1 October 2024 | |
| Swedish Armed Forces | |
| Reports to | The Government (in practice through the Minister for Defence) |
| Residence | Karlberg Palace |
| Seat | Lidingövägen 24, Stockholm, Sweden |
| Nominator | Minister for Defence |
| Appointer | The Government |
| Constituting instrument | Förordning (2007:1266) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten (current ordinance) |
| Precursor | None |
| Formation | 8 December 1939 |
| First holder | Olof Thörnell |
| Deputy | Director General of the Swedish Armed Forces |
| Website | Official website |
The Chief of Defence, formerly the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces (Swedish: överbefälhavaren; acronym: ÖB) is the highest ranked professional military officer in the Swedish Armed Forces, and is by NATO terminology the Swedish chief of defence equivalent. The Chief of Defence is the agency head of the Swedish Armed Forces and formally reports to the Government of Sweden, though normally through the Minister for Defence. The primary responsibilities and duties of the Chief of Defence (and the charter for the Armed Forces) are prescribed in an ordinance issued by the Government.
The Chief of Defence is, apart from the honorary ranks held by the King of Sweden and in the past other members of the Swedish royal family, by unwritten convention normally the only professional military officer on active duty to hold the highest rank (a four-star General or Admiral). An exception was made 2009-2014 when Håkan Syrén was chairman of the European Union Military Committee.
The present Chief of Defence, General Michael Claesson, took office on 1 October 2024.