The Swedish Armed Forces want to be able to mine Swedish waters in grey areas as the government has not yet announced increased preparedness.
In a letter from the Swedish Armed Forces to the government, the authority writes that it needs new rules to "quickly be able to act in the event of a risk of armed attack". The situations mentioned are to "prevent an attacker from landing in a particular port" but also to protect naval bases.
"We hope that the government will decide on a new regulation regarding the Navy's possibilities for peacetime intervention. The reason is that what regulates this at present is an old general order from 1967 that the Armed Forces no longer think is appropriate, says defence lawyer Michael Bergström.
Regulatory framework for grey area situations
When it comes to mining during heightened readiness or war, the Armed Forces do not see any need to change the regulations, instead they act as so-called gray area situations.
"There is a need in certain rapidly emerging very serious situations (before heightened readiness) to be able to lay uncontrollable naval mines even before the government has had time to make a decision on this," the defense writes.
The measures that the Armed Forces want to see in place now are about so-called uncontrollable mines that can be triggered by magnets or sound waves.
Not used sharply since the years of preparedness
According to the Navy, this type of uncontrollable mine has not been used sharply in Sweden since the years of preparedness.
"This was last done during the Second World War," says Lieutenant Commander Anders Ellström, who worked on the letter to the government.
Is there a risk that the threshold for the use of the mine weapon will now be lowered?
– No, I wouldn't say that. This is an area that is surrounded by great responsibility in both planning and implementation, but it is nevertheless the case that we need to have these tools to fulfill our mission to protect the country and its people.
The Ministry of Defence is currently working on the matter and later this year the government is expected to decide on a new ordinance, or an amendment to the existing regulations on military operations.