STOCKHOLM, Sweden — October 6, 2026 — Sweden is strengthening the operational resilience and security of its national mission-critical communications infrastructure through a new cooperation agreement between the Swedish Civil Defence Agency (Myndigheten för civilt försvar) and the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration (Luftfartsverket).

The agreement is designed to improve geographical coverage for field services, increase repair readiness and provide enhanced access to specialist expertise. The cooperation covers the operation, maintenance, monitoring and user support of critical communications services, supporting the continued availability and resilience of communications that are essential to Swedish society.

The initiative comes as Sweden faces a changing security environment and increased requirements under national security protection legislation. These developments are placing greater emphasis on maintaining national capabilities and strengthening government control over critical functions within communications networks that support essential societal operations.

For the Swedish Civil Defence Agency, the cooperation represents a further step in strengthening Rakel, Sweden’s national mission-critical communications system. Both agencies have responsibilities related to radio communications, creating an opportunity to combine existing expertise, resources and operational capabilities.

By coordinating their resources around common objectives, the agencies aim to make more effective use of existing expertise, reduce operational vulnerabilities and improve the efficiency of government resources over the longer term.

Strengthening Operational Capabilities

The cooperation forms part of a broader, long-term approach to improving the efficiency and resilience of government operations.

Sharing operational practices and technical expertise enables the two agencies to strengthen their capabilities without unnecessarily duplicating competencies or infrastructure. The approach is particularly relevant to critical communications, where high availability, security and operational continuity are essential.

Mikael Frisell, Director-General of the Swedish Civil Defence Agency, and Magnus Corell, Director-General of the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration, met in connection with the transfer of responsibility for the operation and maintenance of Rakel.

“Our operations place high demands on availability and security. By bringing together expertise and experience, we strengthen the capabilities of our agencies. This puts us in a stronger position to meet both today’s and tomorrow’s missions. At the same time, we can make more efficient use of government resources,” said Magnus Corell, Director-General of the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration.

The inter-agency model is also intended to strengthen Sweden’s overall civil defence resilience. By combining technical expertise and operational resources, the agencies can enhance the delivery of critical communications services during normal operations as well as during major disruptions, emergencies and other periods of heightened societal stress.

“This is a good example of how we are strengthening Sweden’s civil defence. We are much better equipped to meet future requirements and a changing security environment by working together than by working separately,” said Mikael Frisell, Director-General of the Swedish Civil Defence Agency.

Rakel Operations and Field Service

Under the new cooperation agreement, the Swedish Civil Defence Agency and the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration will collaborate on the operation, maintenance, monitoring and user support of critical communications services.

On 1 October 2026, the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration assumed responsibility for the operation and field service of Rakel from the previous service provider.

Earlier in 2026, the Swedish Civil Defence Agency also brought Rakel customer support in-house, further strengthening the state's direct control and governance of the national mission-critical communications system.

Rakel: Sweden’s National Mission-Critical Communications System

Rakel is Sweden’s national communications system for command, coordination and inter-agency collaboration among organisations and authorities responsible for public order, public safety, healthcare and defence.

The system is designed to provide highly resilient communications and very high availability, supporting users with critical communications requirements across Sweden.

The Swedish Civil Defence Agency is responsible for the operation, management and development of Rakel, while the underlying infrastructure is owned by the Swedish state.

The new cooperation with the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration is expected to further strengthen the operational resilience, technical capabilities and long-term sustainability of Rakel as Sweden continues to reinforce its national civil defence and critical communications capabilities.