Active 1841–present Branch Swedish Army Size Regiment | Country Sweden Role Recruit training | |
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Type Armoured, arctic light infantry | ||
The Norrbotten Regiment (Swedish: Norrbottens regemente), designation I 19, is a Swedish Army arctic armoured, light infantry and ranger regiment that traces its origins back to the 19th century. The regiment's soldiers were originally recruited from the province of Norrbotten, and it is currently garrisoned in Boden, Norrbotten. The regiment has the responsibility for training two armoured and one ranger battalion as well as number of Arctic light infantry battalions from the home guard as well as running the army's winter unit.
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As of 2016, the Norrbotten Regiment employs 475 professional officers, 415 full-time soldiers, 529 part-time soldiers, 112 civilians and 661 reserve officers.
History
The regiment was created in 1841 when Västerbottens fältjägarregemente was split into two corps units of battalion size, one of them being Norrbottens fältjägarkår. The unit was upgraded to regimental size and renamed to Norrbottens regemente in 1892. The regiment had its training grounds at various places in Norrbotten, but was eventually garrisoned in Boden in 1907. A skiing battalion was created in 1910, and in 1943 this ski battalion was split off from the regiment to later becoming The Army Ranger School and in 1975 as Lapplands jägarregemente.
The regiment merged with Norrbottens pansarbataljon (P 5) in 1975 to form Norrbottens regemente with Norrbottens pansarbataljon, and the unit gained the designation I 19/P 5. For a short time in the 1990s, the unit was then merged with the wartime-organised Norrbotten Brigade, designation MekB 19. In 2000, the unit was reorganised once again, and was redesignated back to its old designation I 19 despite being an armoured regiment, the name was also changed back to Norrbottens regemente.
Commanders
Regimental commanders active from 1900. For regimental commanders active from 1994 to 2000, see Norrbotten regiment and Norrbotten Brigade