NDS has interviewed Brigadier General Isabel Smith and Lieutenant Colonel Melanie Padilla from the New York National Guard (NYNG), who speak about the close cooperation between Sweden and NYNG within the US State Partnership Program (SPP).

– Sweden is a role model, says Lieutenant Colonel Padilla to NDS.

On 12 July 2024, a ceremony was held at One World Trade Center in New York City, where a letter of intent on partnership between the Swedish Armed Forces and NYNG was signed. In attendance were Sweden's Minister of Defence Pål Jonson and Major General Johan Pekkari, Head of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters Strategy Unit, together with Major General Ray Shields from NYNG and Marcos Soler, then Deputy Secretary for Public Safety in New York.

The cooperation is to be based on the needs of both parties and aims to strengthen military capability. It includes, among other things, the exchange of concepts, ideas and experiences, as well as the conduct of joint exercises. Earlier this year, US air units from the New York Air National Guard conducted reconnaissance together with Blekinge Wing (F 17, southern Sweden), with a particular focus on the establishment of Forward Air Refuelling Points (FARP). The visit provided pilots and technicians with valuable experience.

– The visit gave us important lessons, particularly regarding Swedish infrastructure and how FARP operations are conducted. The technology enabling the rapid landing and refuelling of the JAS 39 Gripen is very impressive, says Lieutenant Colonel Padilla.

Several return visits are planned going forward, both later this year and in 2027. According to current plans, both the F-16 combat aircraft and the C-130J Hercules transport aircraft will participate.

– It is still in the planning stage, but the idea is to link it to an existing exercise in which our C-130s and F-16s will conduct fuel operations (FARP). For many of our pilots it will be the first time, and there is considerable interest. At the same time, it ties in with Sweden's role in NATO's new regional plans and the work of adapting infrastructure to accommodate a wider range of aircraft, explains Padilla.

The partnership has been extensive since its inception, with numerous meetings and exchanges at command level. The cooperation encompasses several parts of New York's defence organisation, including the Army National Guard, the Air National Guard and the New York Naval Militia, and covers both military and civilian areas.

The cooperation between Sweden and NYNG, like other partnerships within the SPP, is not time-limited. It is ongoing. The organisational structure of the US National Guard means that key personnel often remain within the organisation, enabling continuity in the cooperation.

– One of the reasons the partnership is successful is continuity. Many of those who initiated the cooperation are still in the organisation, which creates trust and stability over time, says Brigadier General Smith.

NYNG's activities also extend to civil preparedness and domestic security. For example, they support the port authorities of New York and New Jersey, providing experience that can be transferred to a Swedish context.

– We have one of the busiest ports on the East Coast, and many of the challenges we work with can also be applied in a Swedish context. Our expertise can be used as lessons learned for similar challenges in Swedish cities, such as Gothenburg (western Sweden) and Stockholm (capital of Sweden), says Padilla.

Within the framework of the partnership, NYNG has also met with the Swedish Civil Defence Agency. The most recent meeting took place in December 2025, and last week Major General Shields and Brigadier General Smith received Sweden's Supreme Commander Michael Claesson and the Director General of the Swedish Civil Defence Agency, Mikael Frisell, in New York.

Earlier in March, a delegation from NYNG also visited Sweden, and together with Major General Pekkari they planned joint activities for 2027–2029.

– We look forward to continuing to develop cooperation on both military and civilian matters. Sweden is a role model for the SPP, where a partnership works best when both state and nation cooperate fully, built on trust, understanding and a willingness to work together, concludes Lieutenant Colonel Padilla.