Sweden had the industrial capacity to build a dreadnought, but its Baltic strategy did not require one. Several coastal-defence ships supported by torpedo boats offered a layered threat without concentrating the same expenditure in a large battleship. Sweden had little reason to send a battle fleet against Germany or Russia. Railway routes through Norway could keep trade moving if an enemy tried to close Sweden's Baltic access. The coastal-defence ships also had enough range to operate throughout the Baltic after enemy naval strength had been reduced.
Notable Point · 3:16:47-3:18:10
Why Sweden chose a layered Baltic defence fleet
Coastal-defence ships and torpedo boats suited Sweden's Baltic needs, while railway routes through Norway offered a way to keep trading during a blockade.