page_title: Military on Gotland
section_title: 21st century
hierarchical_section_title: Military on Gotland / History / 21st century
caption_attribution_description: Svenska: Stridsvärn, Ksp-bunker (Ksp-värn 35:43). Värn i betong 5,05x4,20 m (V-Ö) m med vall (N-S) bestående av sand och grus på var sida om ingången. Ingång från Ö med karm och port i järn. Skottgluggarna vätter mot havet i NNV, V, SSV. Skottgluggarna är igensatta med järnskivor. Konstruktionsdetaljer är ventiler med ventilgaller mot N och S, ventilationsrör i keramik på toppen vanligen med plomberat lock, krokar i varje hörn på toppen för att hålla fast kamouflagenät. Värnet är byggt 1939-1940. Se även denna länk. This is a picture of an archaeological site or a monument in Sweden, number 12000000067981 in the RAÄ Fornsök database.
context_page_description: The presence of the military on Gotland results from the Swedish island's strategic military importance in the Baltic Sea for most of the nation's history. Gotland has been fortified in stages since the 13th century.
  During the 20th century, infantry, artillery, air force and naval elements were stationed on Gotland as part of Sweden's defense system, until all permanent military units were stood down in 2005. With tensions in Northeastern Europe and Russia escalating in 2014–2015, the Swedish government has taken a new interest in remilitarizing the island. And in September 2016 regular troops were once again stationed on the island, albeit as an interim measure until a permanent garrison could be reestablished. As of 1 January 2018 Gotland has re-raised the Gotland Regiment.
context_section_description: Despite expectations at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century bringing with it a new millennium, Gotland's strategic importance has continued. In a recognition of this, the Swedish government decided in March 2015 to begin reestablishing a permanent military presence on the island, starting with an initial 150 troop garrison, consisting primarily of elements from the Swedish Army. It has been reported that the bulk of this initial garrison will make up a new motorised rifle battalion, alternatively referred to in other reports as a "modular-structured rapid response Army battalion". As of March 2015, it is unclear whether the Gotland Regiment and the associated Gotland Brigade as well as the Gotland Artillery Regiment, key components of the previous garrison (disestablished in 2005), will also be reconstituted. Prior to the closure of the original garrison, there had been a continuous Swedish military presence on Gotland in one form or another, for nearly 200 years.
  After the standing down of the original garrison, a battalion of the Swedish Home Guard is based on Gotland for emergencies as part of the Eastern Military Region (MR E). The unit, 32:a Gotlandsbataljonen (the 32nd Gotland battalion, also known as the Gotlandshemvärns bataljonen) acts as a training/reserve element of the regular 1st Marine Regiment (Amf 1) based at Muskö island, itself part of the Swedish Amphibious Corps. Among the residual war reserve stocks reported to be still in storage on Gotland in March 2015, were 14 tanks (Stridsvagn 122s) at the Tofta firing range (the Tofta skjutfält), but without any crews or dedicated maintenance personnel assigned to them.
  Between 2005 and 2019, Gotland had no local air defence capability. Tentative plans to deploy the RBS 23 BAMSE short range air defense system on Gotland were scrapped with the shutdown of the garrison in 2005, and the air force has not generally operated interceptors or other tactical aircraft from the island since the early 1990s.
  However on 1 July 2019, it was announced that the Luftvärnssystem (Air Defence System) 23 would be deployed to the island of Gotland.
  Despite its importance as a naval base in the past, as of 2004, there are no naval units based out of Gotland. Since 2000, there have been no coastal artillery units or facilities operational on Gotland.
caption: World War II era Kulsprutebunker (Machine gun bunker) located near Brucebo, Gotland County
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