Defense News said the Swedish government wants to accelerate the pace and depth of Nordic cooperation, urging moves that could create joint air, naval and army units with Finland, Norway and Denmark.

“Sweden wants to create a more efficient use of resources, higher quality, better effects and an expanded variety of defense capabilities through cooperation,” said a joint positional statement by Defense Minister Karin Enström and Foreign Minister Carl Bild.

“Joint ownership and use of military capacities and resources, or so-called pooling and sharing, is a central part of the Swedish vision for a Nordic defense cooperation.”

July 2010, Sweden ended 109 years of obligatory military service, setting the nation on the way to becoming a fully professional army.

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries.