The government has now made decisions in all environmental permit cases concerning the Armed Forces' training fields, shooting ranges, and airports. Several of these cases have been pending for over a decade. According to Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M), the decisions mean that the Armed Forces now have better conditions to conduct live training activities in more locations.

In a joint opinion piece in Expressen, Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) and Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L) write that old permit processes have not been adapted to today's security policy situation. The decisions include, among other things, shooting exercises with helicopters and aircraft against ground targets at Karlsborg, something that previously required units to fly as far as Luleå.

For the Veckholm shooting range in Enköping Municipality, the government has decided that the Armed Forces may train up to 160 days per year. Previously, the number of shooting days averaged 34 per year. According to the government, the current case has been awaiting a decision for about twelve years.

The government has also opened up for increased use of drones in training activities.

At the same time, a new regulation will come into force in January 2025, which shortens permit processes from several years to six to twelve weeks. The Armed Forces now have the opportunity to apply the new rules to increase their training activities.

– The government has now made decisions on all the pending environmental permits. In summary, these decisions enable more and deeper training activities, which in turn strengthens our defense capability, writes Pål Jonson in a thread on X.