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ABSTRACT

What are the challenges of modern armed forces’ transformation from conscription to a professional army?

Understanding of how the present day armed forces are developed and transformed from conscription to professional should be important if one wants to understand how wars will be fought in the 21^st century. Through gaining a perspective on how the professional armed forces differ from those having conscription, we could hope to understand how well-organised they are for the challenges that lie ahead.

The purpose of this study is to analyse and compare the transformation of the Czech- and Swedish armed forces from conscription to professional forces. The study examines the challenges of transformation by focusing on comparing four highlighted subjects; the military budgets, the personnel volumes, the number of fighting units and the tasks and assignments of the armed forces from 1995 to the present time.

The study proves modern professional armed forces are challenged to manage additional and more complex tasks than their predecessor, whilst having fewer resources, fighting units and manpower available. And in addition everything has to be accomplished within a much smaller financial framework.

Keywords: Military Transformation; Comparative Analysis; The Czech Republic; Sweden; Professionalisation; Challenges; Armed forces; Military Reform