The Skaraborg Regiment, P 4, forms part of, and is responsible for Skövde Garrison which also houses the Logistics Regiment, the Land Warfare Centre, and parts of the Swedish Armed Forces’ logistics organisation. The regiment operates at a number of locations in Skövde, Kvarn in Östergötland, Skredsvik in Bohus county, and at firing ranges in Borås, Gothenburg, Villingsberg, Horssjön and Älvdalen.

The core activity is the training of soldiers for national and international missions. The regiment is an armoured unit equipped with main battle tanks Strv 122 (modified Leopard 2) and a number of different versions of combat vehicle CV 90.

Training

The regiment is an army unit and training focuses on land warfare. The unit trains mechanised infantry companies and a tank company. Training is also given in brigade command and control, reconnaissance, heavy transport and in the mechanical maintenance of tracked and wheeled vehicles.

To make the training as realistic as possible, use is made of special training rigs and simulators. The unit also has a wide range of exercise areas and firing ranges, all of which are environmentally certified. 

The regiment has the capacity to train 1,200 national service personnel annually. The national service training takes place mainly in Skövde and at Kvarn.

Focus on international missions

P 4 has accumulated a great deal of experience in international operations. The regiment has been responsible for the manning of a number of international missions and was, for example, involved in the early stages of the operation in Bosnia at the start of the 1990s. During 2003 the regiment has recruited and trained the Army’s Rapid Response Battalion IA 03 which was subsequently deployed in Liberia.

During 2005 and 2006, P 4 has borne the main responsibility for manning KS 13 in Kosovo and LA 05 in Liberia. In 2007 the unit has trained the core battalion of the Nordic Battlegroup (41 Rapid Reaction Battalion) as well as the strategic reserve in the form of 411 Mechanised Infantry Company, IA 07. Both these units have been on standby during the first six months of 2008.