A government-appointed review led by Major General Roland Ekenberg has recommended that Sweden lift the maximum age at which former professional and reserve officers can be recalled to active duty to 70, up from the current limit of 47. Investigators said the Swedish Armed Forces face a persistent shortage of officers and specialists that justifies extending the potential service period regardless of the country’s alert status. Defence Minister Pål Jonson told a press conference the proposal complements Stockholm’s broader military build-up, which was accelerated after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Sweden’s accession to NATO in 2024. The government has already doubled defence spending since 2020 to 2.4% of GDP and plans to raise it further to 3.5% by 2032, while expanding the army, bolstering air-defence systems and replenishing ammunition stocks. If approved by parliament, the new upper-age limit would allow Sweden to recall retired officers in times of crisis, adding experienced personnel without lengthening basic conscription. Sweden reinstated limited conscription for men and women in 2017, and officials say the latest proposal is another step to ensure sufficient manpower as the security environment in northern Europe deteriorates.