page_title: Military on Gotland
section_title: Cold War
hierarchical_section_title: Military on Gotland / History / Cold War
caption_attribution_description: English: Swedish Army garrison on Gotland in 1989
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: In 1989 at the end of the Cold War the garrison of Gotland consisted of the following units:
  MKG - Gotland Military Command in Visby had operational control of the brigade and independent battalions in case of war.
  Headquarters and Staff Battalion in Visby
  PB 18 - Gotland Brigade in Visby:
  Headquarters and Staff Company
  1st Armored Battalion with a staff company, 12x Stridsvagn 102R tanks in one company, 28x KP-car m/42 wheeled armoured personnel carriers and 24x Rifle Squads with 8x Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless rifles in two companies, 4x M/40 105mm howitzers in an artillery battery and a logistic company
  2nd Armored Battalion with a staff company, 12x Stridsvagn 102R tanks in one company, 28x KP-car m/42 wheeled armoured personnel carriers and 24x Rifle Squads with 8x Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless rifles in two companies, 4x M/40 105mm howitzers in an artillery battery and a logistic company
  3rd Armored Battalion with a staff company, 12x Stridsvagn 102R tanks in one company, 28x KP-car m/42 wheeled armoured personnel carriers and 24x Rifle Squads with 8x Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless rifles in two companies, 4x M/40 105mm howitzers in an artillery battery and a logistic company
  Artillery Battalion with 12x 155mm Haubits m/F towed howitzers in three batteries
  18th Armored Reconnaissance Company with 6x KP-car m/42 wheeled armoured personnel carriers, 12x Jeeps, 12x Recon Teams, 2x Rifle Squads and 4x Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless rifles
  18th Anti-tank Company with 84mm Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles and Bantam anti-tank missiles
  18th Engineer Company
  Logistic Battalion
  P 18 - Gotland Regiment in Visby. Tasked with training all units of the Gotland Brigade and Gotland Military Command, except for artillery and air defence units.
  A 7 - Gotland Artillery Regiment in Visby. Tasked with training field artillery units on Gotland.
  KA 3 - Gotland Coastal Artillery Regiment in Fårösund trained and fielded a wide variety of units, which in case of war would have come under direct command of the Gotland Military Command: three mobile Coastal Guard Platoons (Sjöbevakningspluton) armed with light Robot 17 anti-ship missiles. One heavy anti-ship missile battery armed with Robot 08 missiles. The 7th Coastal Artillery Battery in Bunge with 3x mobile 152mm M/37 cannons. Besides these mobile units the regiment also controlled the following fixed artillery positions: 4x batteries of three 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 automatic guns each at Kappelshamn, Ljugarn and St Olofsholm on Gotland and at Ryssnäs on Fårö, 1x battery of three 120mm Tornautomatpjäs m/70 automatic guns at Slite and 1x battery of three twin-barreled 152mm Kustartilleripjäs m/51 heavy coastal artillery guns at Bungenäs. Furthermore, the regiment trained a few smaller units, which maintained minefields with controlled mines along the coast of Gotland and Fårö. Additionally the regiment fielded a limited number of 75mm m/65 automatic cannons, which were a mobile version of the 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 automatic guns and the small minelayer HSwMS Fårösund (16).
  Lv 2 - Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion in Visby with Robot 69 and Robot 70 man-portable surface-to-air missiles, as well as 20mm lvakan m/40-70 and 40mm lvakan m/48 anti-aircraft autocannons.
  4th Independent Armored Battalion in Visby with a staff company, 12x Stridsvagn 102R tanks in one company, 28x KP-car m/42 wheeled armoured personnel carriers and 24x Rifle Squads with 8x Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless rifles in two companies, 4x M/40 105mm howitzers in an artillery battery and a logistic company
  5th Independent Armored Battalion in Fårösund with a staff company, 12x Stridsvagn 102R tanks in one company, 28x KP-car m/42 wheeled armoured personnel carriers and 24x Rifle Squads with 8x Pvpj 1110 90mm recoilless rifles in two companies, 4x M/40 105mm howitzers in an artillery battery and a logistic company
caption: Swedish Army Gotland Garrison in 1989
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