Swedish nuclear weapon program
| Year | |
|---|---|
| 1945 | The United States tries to gain a monopoly over Swedish uranium assets. Atomic bombs are dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. National Defence Research Institute (FOA) is assigned to conduct investigative mission, to collect the existing data on the nuclear issue. Atomic Commission is founded. |
| 1947 | AB Atomenergi is founded. |
| 1948 | FOA is assigned to explore the possibilities for nuclear weapons acquisition in Sweden - the actual start of the nuclear weapons program. |
| 1952 | Air Force Chief Bengt Nordenskiöld makes public statement on Swedish nuclear weapons. |
| 1953 | The United States launches the Atoms for Peace program. |
| 1954 | Report by the Commander-in-Chief takes a formal position on nuclear weapons. The first Swedish reactor R1 is set in operation. The first Swedish contemplations about whether to purchase nuclear weapons from the US. |
| 1955 | The first detailed drafts of Swedish nuclear warhead are completed. The Social Democratic government proves to be divided over the nuclear question. Sweden and US conclude the first cooperation agreement on civilian nuclear energy. |
| 1956 | A government report suggests that Sweden invests in nuclear energy based on the domestic fuel cycle, the so-called “Swedish line.” |
| 1957 | Report by the Commander-in-Chief features a clear position on Swedish nuclear weapons. The public debate on nuclear weapons takes off. AB Atomenergi purchases American materials for the Ågesta site to accelerate the civilian nuclear energy program. However, guarantees that it would not be used for nuclear weapons purposes hamper plutonium supplies for the nuclear weapons program. Swedish contemplations at ambassador's level over the opportunity to purchase nuclear weapons from the United States. |
| 1958 | FOA presents two alternative research programs: defense research (S-program) and nuclear explosive devices research (L-program). First studies of solely military reactors are presented – to insure the plutonium production. Commander-in-Chief in his annual defense budget report calls on the Government to officially choose the L-program although the Minister of Defense advised against it because of the serious split in the Social Democratic party. Government rejects the request for the L-program, but recommends funding of S-program under another scheme. The parliament approves this decision. |
| 1959 | A working group with the Social Democratic Party offers a compromise in the form of enhanced defense research with preservation of the freedom of action. |
| 1960 | The Social Democratic Party Congress accepts the offer of compromise, and the Government issues directives with the suggested conditions. The United States decides neither to sell nuclear weapons to Sweden nor to support Swedish domestic nuclear development. Due to the problems with plutonium supply, the cost estimates for Swedish nuclear weapons acquisition increase remarkably. |
| 1961 | Nils Swedlund's retirement is followed by the first skeptical views on Swedish nuclear weapons acquisition within the Swedish Ministry of Defense. |
| 1962 | The Commander-in-Chief's 1962 report is still in favor of Swedish nuclear weapons, yet not as pronounced as the 1957 report. Sweden begins to take an active stance in the international negotiations on non-proliferation. The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is established. |
| 1965 | The 1965 report supports the initiative of Swedish nuclear weapons, but does not contain any concrete proposals on their implementation. |
| 1966 | Sweden abandons the freedom of action doctrine, and begins pushing for a non-proliferation agreement. |
| 1967 | Sweden begins phasing-out nuclear weapons research. |
| 1968 | Sweden ratifies the NPT and terminates its nuclear research with the exception of actual defense research. |
| 1972 | Termination of nuclear program is complete as the plutonium laboratory is shut down. |
| 1974 | Ågesta reactor is permanently shut down. |
| 2012 | 3.3 kg plutonium and 9 kg of uranium are exported to the US as part of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative. |
After World War II, Sweden considered building nuclear weapons to defend themselves against an offensive assault from the Soviet Union. From 1945 to 1972 the government ran a clandestine nuclear weapons program under the guise of civilian defense research at the Swedish National Defence Research Institute (FOA).
By the late 1950s the work had reached the point where underground testing was feasible. However, at this time the Riksdag prohibited research and development of nuclear weapons, pledging that research should be done only for the purpose of defense against nuclear attack. They reserved the right to continue development of offensive weapons in the future.
The option to continue development of weapons was abandoned in 1966, and Sweden's subsequent signing of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968 began the wind-down of the program, which finally concluded in 1972.
During the final phase of World War II, the Swedish Government saw value in the future of nuclear energy, especially the Allied interest in Sweden’s uranium-bearing black shale deposits. This led to suggestions that Sweden should establish state control over its natural resources, including uranium. Specifically, such controls would include export controls on uranium in collaboration with the American and British governments, exclusive Swedish controls over uranium ore, and a ban on commercial mining of uranium.
Through its advisors, including Manne Siegbahn among others, the government realized the link between its ore and nuclear weapons. After American Ambassador Herschel Johnson brought up that question in a conversation with Cabinet Secretary Stig Sahlin on July 27, 1945, the issue was raised at the government meeting on August 2. On September 11, Sweden committed itself to establish state control over mining and export of uranium. Sweden rejected the American suggestion of a right to purchase Swedish uranium as well as a right to veto proposed Swedish uranium exports.
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