MUST’s mission is to conduct foreign intelligence and military intelligence and security by identifying and analysing external threats directed against Sweden and Swedish interests and by preventing, detecting and counteracting security threats directed against the Swedish Armed Forces and its interests in Sweden and abroad. MUST supports the government and the Chief of Defence by, among other things: 

≥ Producing intelligence to support knowledge building and decision-making 

≥ Providing early warning of changes in the threat picture 

≥ Contributing to decision-making and situational awareness in NATO and the EU 

≥ Provide security within the Swedish Armed Forces and ensure compliance with legislation and other regulations over other governmental agencies in matters of protective security and communications security (COMSEC) 

≥ Coordinating defence attaché activities 

≥ Organising and leading the National Intelligence Unit (NUE)

The head of MUST is Lieutenant General Thomas Nilsson, who took office on May 1, 2023.

Within the Swedish Armed Forces, MUST is headed by the Chief of Defence. The Director of MUST leads intelligence and security services within the Swedish Armed Forces and is also the authority’s Chief of Security Protection and Chief of Communication Security.

INTELLIGENCE SERVICE

The intelligence service monitors security policy and military developments in the immediate area and in other parts of the world that are of significance to Swedish foreign, security and defence policy. The information needs of decision-makers form the basis for the intelligence service’s tasks. These information needs are then translated into defined intelligence requirements. The work consists of collecting, processing, analysing and disseminating information and assessments of the intentions and capabilities of various actors.

MILITARY SECURITY SERVICE

The primary task of the military security service is to prevent, detect and counter security threats directed at the Swedish Armed Forces and its interests, and by extension Sweden’s security.

Its activities focus on security threats from foreign intelligence services and other actors. The security service monitors the Armed Forces’ security protection and works proactively to ensure that information relating to Sweden’s security is not disclosed, altered or destroyed. It also ensures that only persons who have been deemed trustworthy from a security perspective are allowed to access information or participate in security sensitive areas important to Sweden’s security. The military security service is also responsible for protecting the entire total defence communication and IT systems from intrusion using cryptographic methods. 

MUST ANNUAL REPORT 

Each year, MUST publishes an Annual Report presenting its assessment of global developments and the security threats facing Sweden and Swedish interests.
This report fulfills a government mandate requiring MUST to produce an annual public overview of its defence intelligence and military security activities. In addition to this, MUST chooses to present other relevant operations to provide as comprehensive a picture as possible within the limits of confidentiality.
 
 MUST Annual report 2025.pdf (pdf, 2 MB)