The Defence Staff (Swedish: Försvarsstaben, Fst) is the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces' staff body and command resource for military strategic command, mission dialogue and reporting to the Swedish government, as well as being responsible for the war organization's capability, availability and combat readiness.

The Defence Staff was established on 1 July 1937 (SFS 1937:667) with the task of planning the use of the national defence funds and for the military branches perform the joint war preparations and to promote coherence and synergy between military branches.

The agency, known as The Supreme Commander (Överbefälhavaren), according to instructions (SFS 1983:276), was exercising the leadership of the nations military defence and related operational activities.

The Defence Staff that since 1 July 1981 was named Överbefälhavaren, was in connection with the Swedish Armed Forces restructuring on 1 July 1994 amalgamated with the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters.

[4] The colour of the Defence Staff was a double swallow-tailed Swedish flag, which was presented in 1992.