This article examines the role of permanent artworks commissioned for the Swedish Armed Forces and their interaction with military sites through visual content, materiality, and form. The aim is to understand how Sweden's welfare ideals that promote equitable access to art have been implemented within its military institutions. The article also provides new insights into how art created for Swedish military sites has responded to the country's security policy, spanning from the Cold War’s neutrality doctrine to the transition towards a postnational defence in the 2000s. The analysis is based on data regarding the 224 permanent works that the state has commissioned for military sites from the 1950s to the present day. A key finding indicates that these works have played a role in countering the rise of aggressive militarism in the Swedish army. The artworks contributed to shaping the identity of neutral Swedish soldiers during the Cold War while promoting a universalist imagery for cosmopolitan-minded soldiers in subsequent years. The article also discusses the potential of state-commissioned artworks to critique Sweden’s security policy. These insights are relevant for discussions regarding the future of art commissions for the Armed Forces following Sweden’s recent NATO membership.