page_title: Sverige-class coastal defence ship
section_title: Tactical doctrine and effectiveness
hierarchical_section_title: Sverige-class coastal defence ship / Tactical doctrine and effectiveness
caption_attribution_description: English: Ship of the Swedish Sverige-class firing Svenska: Sverigeskepp under stridsskjutning
context_page_description: The Sverige-class coastal defence ships were a class of coastal defence ships that, at the time of introduction, were the largest ships to serve in the Swedish Navy. Their design was completely new and was influenced by the ships of the time. Their armament consisted of four 283 mm /45 cal. Bofors guns in two turrets and eight 152 mm Bofors guns in one double and six single turrets. During the Second World War they were the backbone of the Swedish Navy.
context_section_description: The Sverige-class ships differed in several ways from the classical coastal Defence ship; at first by heavier armament as well as better speed and armour, but still small enough to operate and hide in the archipelagos and shallow waters . But the main difference was to be noted in their tactical doctrine and operations. Unlike other coastal defence ships, the Sverige class formed the core of a traditional open-sea battle group (Coastal Fleet), operating with cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats and air reconnaissance like traditional battleship tactics of the time. This "mini battle group" had no intention, nor need, to challenge the superpowers in blue sea battles but to operate as defensive shield to aggression challenging Swedish interests and territory. Based on the doctrine that you need a battle group to challenge a battle group, the Coastal Fleet presented a considerable obstacle to anything smaller than a full-size battleship or battlecruiser, but in a tactical situation where full-size battleships would have very limited operational space exposing them to submarines, fast torpedo crafts, land based dive-bombers and minefields. It has been suggested that the Sverige-class ships were one reason why Germany did not invade Sweden during World War II. This speculation appeared in Warship Magazine 1992 Edition, in the article "The Sverige Class Coastal Defence Ships", by Daniel G Harris. The claim was supported in the postwar publication of German tactical orders, when tactical scenarios regarding attacking Sweden was published. Pointing out the problems of maintaining an army in Sweden without sea superiority, and underlining lack of available suitable units to challenge the Swedish navy (“Stations for battle”, Insulander/Olsson, 2001)
caption: Sverige-class ship firing
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