A Swedish parliamentary report expected to influence the restructuring of the Swedish Armed Forces has recommended they heavily reduce the Gripen fleet, phase out some of their ground-based air-defence units and considerably decrease the number of tanks. "The [Swedish] Defence Commission confirms every single part of the defence policy line pursued by the government," said Swedish Minister of Defence Sten Tolgfors on 13 June, giving credence to assumptions that the cross-party report will form the basis of the armed forces restructure that he is due to set out in December 2008. Tolgfors highlighted the report's call for "a flexible operational defence; recruitment on a voluntary basis with an element of professional full-time soldiers; broad and deepened Nordic co-operation; joint Baltic surveillance; participation in NATOs air-situation picture; and collaboration with NATO in international operations". He also agreed with the statement that Sweden has reached the point where it must choose which capabilities to maintain and which to leave.
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