The Swedish Navy ‘s triumphant return to its Cold War-era fortress fits the country’s ongoing militarization pattern, characterized by budget hikes and the return of the draft, coupled with panic-inducing rhetoric.
After 15 years of disuse, the Muskö naval base 70 kilometers south of Stockholm is once again part of Sweden’s armed forces, sources reported.
A re-inauguration ceremony was held with the Navy ‘s music corps and a parade, exactly 50 years after Muskö’s original inauguration in 1969, Sputnik reported.
Social Democrat Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist interpreted the Navy ‘s return to Musköbasen as an security policy signal.
“It is probably the world’s largest underground base. Here we have a very important and unique resource that we can develop in different ways”, Hultqvist explained in his speech.
For starters, a 100-strong force will be placed at rejuvenated Muskö, which was decommissioned in 2004; its shipyard was sold to ThyssenKrupp.
“The goal is that we should sit inside the mountain to increase safety. The mountain is an impressive facility that it feels wise to utilize,” Navy commander Jens Nykvis Nykvist said. “This is important, it is a big thing for us. It is a great advantage not to be lumped together in the city,” Nykvist said, suggesting that the decentralization plan “reduces vulnerability” and “enhances tactical possibilities”.
The plan was put together by parliament about a year ago. In addition to the Navy moving to Muskö, the Army will be placed in Enköping, whereas the Air Force will be located in Uppsala in what was described as a “spread of management”.
Other specialists, however, were more specific as to why the underground fortress had to be revitalized.
“The move is based on the calculation that the Russians could use powerful weapons which demand the level of protection that only Muskö can provide,” Niklas Granholm, a senior analyst at the Swedish Defence Research Agency, said.