This thesis examines how Swedish decision, and policymakers view strategic utilitywith special operations and how it relates with conventional operations. Collin S.Grays (1998) theory on strategic utility and Thomas Searles (2017) “Outside thebox” theory are used as theoretical frameworks. Data is collected through interviewswith senior officers and politics officials and analysed using thematic analysis.Findings include trust and insight for decisionmakers, operational security to achievesurprise, using SOF for balancing risks and strategic utility in peacetime andoperational effects in conflicts. Conclusions are made that strategic utility not onlycomes from the execution of special operations but also from having qualified forcesthat can be offered as currency in international relations. This thesis contributes tothe field of war science analysing hard to reach empirical data through establishedtheories from a small state perspective.