The Swedish Armed Forces is commanded by the Armed Forces Headquarters, located in Stockholm. The Armed Forces Headquarters consists of service branch commands, staffs and departments, each responsible for a variety of practical and strategic issues, including leading units on an operational level.

The Armed Forces Headquarters is home to a number of command functions including the Legal Staff and Human Resources Staff, the Communications Department, Armed Forces Training & Development Staff, Joint Forces Command, and the Military Intelligence and Security Service, (MUST). The Chief of Defence Staff is also Commander of Armed Forces HQ.

The Defence Inspectorate for Medicine and Environmental Health, the Internal Audit Department, the Safety Inspectorate, and the Military Aviation Authority are also based at the Armed Forces Headquarters. Together, these bodies supervise and control the Armed Forces.