1st Submarine Flotilla (Sweden)

56°09′07″N 15°10′10″E / 56.152056°N 15.169556°E / 56.152056; 15.169556

1st Submarine Flotilla
Första ubåtsflottiljen
Active1904–present
CountrySweden
AllegianceSwedish Armed Forces
BranchSwedish Navy
TypeSubmarine
SizeFlotilla (350 personnel)[1]
Part ofCoastal Fleet (1904–1997)
Middle Military District (1998–2000)
Joint Forces Command (2000–2005)
SAFHQ (2005–)
Motto(s)Esse non videre ("To be without being seen")[note 1]
March"Fladdrande Fanor" (V. Widqvist)[note 2]
Websitewww.forsvarsmakten.se/1ubflj
Commanders
Current
commander
Captain Paula Wallenburg
Insignia
Cufflink
Shoulder sleeve insignia

The 1st Submarine Flotilla (Swedish: Första ubåtsflottiljen, 1. ubflj) is a unit of the Swedish Fleet which has operated in various forms since 1904. Its unit staff is located at Karlskrona naval base, Blekinge in Karlskrona Garrison.[4][5]

History

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The embryo of the 1st Submarine Flotilla was formed in 1904, when the Swedish Navy was supplied with its first submarine, Hajen, and the submarine force was formed.[6] In 1918 the submarine force was included as the 1st Submarine Division (1. undervattensbåtsdivisionen) in the Coastal Fleet. In 1934, the submarine force had been organized as the Submarine Department (Ubåtsavdelningen) with three included divisions. In 1951, the unit was assigned its current name, and was part of the Coastal Fleet as the 1st Submarine Flotilla. During the 1970s, the Navy Diving School (Flottans dykarskola) was added to the flotilla, which later formed the Diving Division (Dykdivisionen), which included submarine rescue ships.

On 1 July 1994, the flotilla was organized as the First Submarine Department (Första ubåtsavdelningen, 1. UbA). This because all units within the Swedish Armed Forces were cadre organized, and got a permanent organisation. On 1 January 1998, the flotilla received its current name 1st Submarine Flotilla (Första ubåtsflottiljen, 1. ubflj), and by the Defence Act of 2004 it was decided that the flotilla with its staff would be relocated from Hårsfjärden to Karlskrona. From 1 January 2005, the flotilla came to serve from Karlskrona naval base.

Organization

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Between 1904 and 1998, the submarine force was included in the Coastal Fleet. See below the composite of the submarine force at different time points. During the 1930s, the submarine force was included in the Winter Squadron (Vintereskadern), which was the equipped part of the Swedish Navy during winter time. Parts of the submarine force were included in the Gothenburg Squadron and the Karlskrona Department (Karlskronaavdelningen) during World War II.[7]

Year Name Division Ships
1918 1. undervattensbåtsdivisionen Delfinen, Skäggald, Svärdfisken, Tumlaren
1934 Ubåtsavdelningen Depådivision Svea
1934 Ubåtsavdelningen 1. ubåtsdivisionen Draken, Gripen, Ulven
1934 Ubåtsavdelningen 2. ubåtsdivisionen Bävern, Illern, Uttern
1934 Ubåtsavdelningen 3. ubåtsdivisionen Hajen, Sälen
1940 Ubåtsavdelningen Depådivision Svea
1940 Ubåtsavdelningen 1. ubåtsdivisionen Draken, Gripen, Ulven
1940 Ubåtsavdelningen 2. ubåtsdivisionen Sjöbjörnen, Sjöhunden, Sjölejonet
1940 Ubåtsavdelningen 3. ubåtsdivisionen Delfinen, Najad, Springaren
1945 Ubåtsavdelningen SS Patricia, Belos
1945 Ubåtsavdelningen 1. ubåtsdivisionen Sjöborren, Sjöhästen, Sjöormen
1945 Ubåtsavdelningen 7. ubåtsdivisionen Najad, Neptun, Näcken
1945 Ubåtsavdelningen 12. ubåtsdivisionen U4, U5, U6
1951 1. ubåtsflottiljen SS Patricia, Belos
1951 1. ubåtsflottiljen 1. ubåtsdivisionen Neptun, Sjöborren, Sjöhunden
1951 1. ubåtsflottiljen 2. ubåtsdivisionen Dykaren, Nordkaparen, Näcken, Sjöormen, Tumlaren
1975 1. ubåtsflottiljen Belos, Älvsborg
1975 1. ubåtsflottiljen 1. ubåtsdivisionen Sjöhästen, Vargen
1975 1. ubåtsflottiljen 3. ubåtsdivisionen Delfinen, Draken, Gripen, Hajen, Sjöormen
1989 1. ubåtsflottiljen 1. ubåtsdivisionen Sjöbjörnen, Sjöhästen, Sjölejonet, Sjöormen, Hälsingland, Södermanland, Västergötland, Östergötland
1989 1. ubåtsflottiljen 2. ubåtsdivisionen Najad, Neptun, Näcken, Sjöhunden
1989 1. ubåtsflottiljen Dykdivisionen Belos
1998 1. ubåtsflottiljen 1. ubåtsdivisionen Gotland, Halland, Uppland, Södermanland, Östergötland, Hälsingland, Västergötland
1998 1. ubåtsflottiljen 2. ubåtsdivisionen Najad, Näcken
1998 1. ubåtsflottiljen Dykdivisionen Belos, URF
1998 1. ubåtsflottiljen Torpedbärgningsdivisionen Pelikanen, Pingvinen
2013 1.ubåtsflottiljen Gotland, Halland, Uppland, Södermanland, Östergötland
2021 1.ubåtsflottiljen Gotland, Halland, Uppland, Södermanland

Heraldry and traditions

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Coat of arms

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Coat of arms in metal mounted on varnished wooden plate.

The coat of arms of the 1st Submarine Division (Första ubåtsavdelningen) 1994–1998 and the 1st Submarine Flotilla since 1998. Blazon: "Or, from a wavy base azure a trident issuant sable".[8]

Flag

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The flag is a double swallow-tailed Swedish flag.[9] It was presented to the then 1st Submarine Division by the Supreme Commander, General Owe Wiktorin at the Artillery Yard in Stockholm on 30 April 1996.[4]

Commanding officers

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  • 1951–1951: Lieutenant Commander Åke Lindemalm
  • 1951–1952: Lieutenant Commander Gustav Lindgren
  • 1952–1964: ?
  • 1964–1965: Commander Rolf Rheborg
  • 1966–1969: Captain Hans Petrelius
  • 1969–1971: Captain Rolf Skedelius
  • 1971–1972: Captain Bengt Rasin
  • 1973–1976: Captain Jan Enquist
  • 1976–1978: Captain Bror Stefenson
  • 1978–1981: Captain Bertil Daggfeldt
  • 1981–1983: Captain Roderick Klintebo
  • 1983–1987: Captain Sten Swedlund
  • 1987–1994: ?
  • 1994–1997: Captain Bertil Björkman
  • 1997–2000: Captain Curt Lundgren
  • 2000–2003: Captain Bo Rask
  • 2004–2006: Captain Anders Järn
  • 2006–2007: Captain Gunnar Wieslander
  • 2007–2010: Captain Jonas Haggren
  • 2010–2013: Captain Fredrik Norrby
  • 2013–2016: Captain Jens Nykvist
  • 2016–2016: Lieutenant Commander Stefan Östrand (acting)[10]
  • 2016–2020: Captain Mats Agnéus[10]
  • 2020–2023: Captain Fredrik Lindén
  • 2023–present: Captain Paula Wallenburg

Names, designations and locations

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Name Translation From To
1. undervattensbåtsdivisionen 1918-??-?? 1934-??-??
Ubåtsavdelningen Submarine Division 1934-??-?? 1951-??-??
1. ubåtsflottiljen 1st Submarine Flotilla 1951-??-?? 1994-06-30
1. ubåtsavdelningen 1st Submarine Division 1994-07-01 1997-12-31
1. ubåtsflottiljen 1st Submarine Flotilla 1998-01-01
Designation From To
1. ubflj 1951-??-?? 1994-06-30
1. UbA 1994-07-01 1997-12-31
1. ubflj 1998-01-01
Location From To
Muskö naval base 1969-09-30 2005-08-31
Karlskrona naval base 2005-09-01

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Inherited the motto from the HSwMS Sjöormen (Sor) which used it from 1967 to 1994.[2]
  2. ^ The march was inherited from the Submarine Service (Ubåtsvapnet) and was established on 27 November 2002.[3]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Första ubåtsflottiljen". www.forsvarsmakten.se. Försvarsmakten. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  2. ^ Handbok: parad 6: traditionsvård 2017, p. 54
  3. ^ Sandberg 2007, p. 82
  4. ^ a b Birke & Braunstein 2011, p. 87
  5. ^ Kjellander 2007, p. 201
  6. ^ "Om förbandet" [About the unit] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  7. ^ Birke & Braunstein 2011, pp. 73–85
  8. ^ Braunstein 2006, p. 51
  9. ^ Braunstein 2004, p. 64
  10. ^ a b Törnqvist 2016

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