Överste
Swedish and Finnish military rank
title: "Överste" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["military-ranks-of-the-swedish-army", "military-ranks-of-the-swedish-air-force"] description: "Swedish and Finnish military rank" topic_path: "geography/sweden" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Överste" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Swedish and Finnish military rank ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox military rank"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Colonel |
| native_name | överste |
| country | Sweden |
| service branch | Army |
| Air Force | |
| Navy (Amphibious Corps) | |
| abbreviation | Öv (Swedish), Col (English) |
| rank | Colonel |
| NATO rank | OF-5 |
| Non-NATO rank | O-6 |
| higher rank | Brigadier general (2000–) |
| Senior colonel (1972–2000) | |
| Major general (–1972) | |
| lower rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| equivalents | Captain |
| :: |
| name = Colonel | native_name = överste | image = | image_size = | caption = | image2 = | image_size2 = | caption2 = | image3 = | image_size3 = | caption3 = | country = Sweden | service branch = Army Air Force Navy (Amphibious Corps) | abbreviation = Öv (Swedish), Col (English) | rank = Colonel | NATO rank = OF-5 | Non-NATO rank = O-6 | formation = | abolished = | higher rank = Brigadier general (2000–) Senior colonel (1972–2000) Major general (–1972) | lower rank = Lieutenant colonel | equivalents = Captain | history =
Colonel (Col) (, öv) is the most senior field grade military officer rank in the Swedish Army and the Swedish Air Force, immediately above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general. It is equivalent to the naval rank of captain in the Swedish Navy.
History
Överste ("Colonel") is the name for the highest regimental officer rank. The name, sometimes in the connection with häröverste ("army colonel") and also generalöverste ("colonel general"), is as old as a standing army, that is, from the end of the Middle Ages. During the 16th and 17th centuries, a famous soldier was commissioned to recruit a regiment and was then appointed colonel at the head of it. The regiment was thus the colonel's belonging; he appointed, among other things, its officers. To the extent that the recruitment was immediately taken over by the state, the colonels began to be appointed by the king as well as the other officers. Even today, the colonel is usually the regimental commander.
The rank of colonel was between the rank of lieutenant colonel and major general until 1972 when senior colonel rank was introduced. Thereafter, colonel was between lieutenant colonel and senior colonel from 1972 to 2000 when the brigadier general rank was introduced. Since 2000, the rank of colonel is between the lieutenant colonel and the brigadier general and the senior colonel (for those who still hold the rank, no new appointments are made) is between colonel and the brigadier general.
Rank insignia
Collar patches
File:OF-5 Överste.jpg|Collar patch m/58 for colonel File:1 Överste 1939.jpg|Collar patch File:12 Överste krage 1923.jpg|Collar patch
Shoulder marks
Air Force
File:OF-5_Överste_FV_hylsa.jpg| (2000–present) File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 FV hylsa.jpg| (1987–2000)
Army
File:12 Överste axelklaff m1923.jpg|Shoulder mark m/1923 (13 = Dalarna Regiment) File:12 Överste axelträns m1910.jpg|Shoulder mark m/1910 (13 = Dalarna Regiment) File:Axelklaff m1895 överste trängen.jpg|Shoulder mark m/1895 (Service Troops)
Navy (Amphibious Corps)
File:OF-5 Överste AMF hylsa.jpg|Embroidered shoulder mark (Navy) (2000–present) File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 AMF hylsa.jpg|Embroidered shoulder mark (Navy) (1987–2000) File:OF-5 Överste AMF hylsa02.jpg|Wowen shoulder mark (2003–present)
Sleeve insignias
Air Force
File:OF-5 Överste FV mäss.jpg|Mess jacket sleeve insignia for a colonel File:OF-5 Överste FV ärm pre-2003.jpg|Mess jacket sleeve insignia for a colonel (–2003) File:OF-5 Överste FV ärmmatta.jpg|Flight suit sleeve insignia for a colonel (2000–present) File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 FV ärmmatta.jpg|Flight suit sleeve insignia for a colonel (1987–2000)
Army
File:4 Överste armén ärm 1906.jpg|Sleeve insignia on uniform m/1906 for a colonel.
Navy (Amphibious Corps)
File:OF-5 Överste AMF arm.jpg|Sleeve insignia on innerkavaj m/48 ("inner jacket m/48") for a colonel. (2000–present) File:OF-5 Överste 1987-2000 AMF arm.jpg| (1987–2000)
Hats
File:12 Överste mössa m1923.jpg|Hat (Mössa m/1923) for a colonel. File:OF-5 Överste lägermössa m1865-99.png|Camp hat (Lägermössa m/1865-99) for a colonel. File:OF-5 Överste lägermössa m1865-99 LG.png|Hat (Mössa m/1865-99) for a colonel in Life Guards infantry. File:8 Överste armén hatt m1910-14.jpg|Rank insignia for a colonel on hat (Hatt m/1910-14) in the army. File:Hatt m1859 för överste.jpg|Hatt m/1859 for a colonel in Värmland Ranger Corps (Värmlands fältjägarkår) File:Skärmmössa m30 för överste FVM.143659.jpg|Peaked cap (dark blue) for air force colonel () (1930–) File:10 Överste armén mössmärke 1946.jpg|Hat badge (Mössmärke m/1946) for a colonel in the army. File:10 Överste armén mössmärke 1940.jpg|Hat badge (Mössmärke m/1940) for a colonel in the army. File:8 Överste armén mössmärke 1914.jpg|Hat badge (Mössmärke m/1914) for a colonel in the army on fur hat (pälsmössa m/1909-14).
References
Notes
References
- (2019-12-02). "Försvarsmaktens föreskrifter om personaltjänst (FFS 2019:6)". [[Swedish Armed Forces]].
- (2013-09-16). "Försvarsmaktens gemensamma identitet – direktiv för användandet av Försvarsmaktens namn, profil och bild". [[Swedish Armed Forces]].
- (26 June 2000). "Förordning om ändring i officersförordningen (1994:882)". [[Swedish Code of Statutes]].
- {{harvnb. Westrin. 1922
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::