In a context marked by the return of conflict in Europe, hybrid threats and the rise of digital challenges, the aim of this mission was to enable the auditors to analyse a particularly integrated security model, combining military defence, civil security, technological innovation and the mobilisation of society.
Why Sweden?
Sweden's accession to NATO in 2024, after more than two centuries of neutrality, represents a major strategic turning point in Northern Europe. This change is accompanied by a profound transformation of its defence and security policy.
For IHEDN auditors, Sweden today represents a genuine strategic laboratory focusing on several key themes:
- total defence involving the armed forces, public authorities, businesses and citizens
- cyber security and critical infrastructure protection
- combating hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns
- national resilience and population preparedness
- European and Nordic cooperation on security and sovereignty.
This mission enabled us to study how a European State adapts its organisation in the face of a profoundly degraded strategic environment.
A programme combining strategy, innovation and the field
Throughout the week, auditors took part in a wide range of institutional, strategic and operational discussions on the major contemporary security challenges.
The main topics covered included
- The Swedish «total defence» model and its link between the civilian and military spheres
- Cybersecurity and digital sovereignty issues
- Hybrid threats, information warfare and psychological defence
- The evolution of Sweden's strategic posture after joining NATO
- Franco-Swedish and European cooperation in the fields of defence and digital technology
- Security issues in the Baltic and Nordic region.
The mission also included a number of visits and meetings in the field to get a real feel for Sweden's defence and innovation capabilities.
Listeners were able to find out more about :
- The Berga and Muskö naval bases, pillars of Swedish maritime strategy
- The activities of the Saab Group, a major player in the European defence industry
- FOI (Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut), a research institute specialising in defence, cyber security and strategic technologies.
Understanding the changes in European security
Beyond the strictly military or digital aspects, this mission gave the auditors a better understanding of the profound changes in security policies in Europe.
Sweden today stands out as a particularly telling example of a model where societal resilience, technological innovation, strategic culture and international cooperation are becoming central levers of sovereignty.
It was a dense and immersive mission, offering listeners a concrete vision of the responses provided by European States to the security challenges of the 21st century.
