Background
Bydén was born in Gnarp, Sweden and is the son of Alvar and Gun Bydén.
Bydén was born in Gnarp, Sweden and is the son of Alvar and Gun Bydén.
He was earlier senior commander in the Swedish Air Force. He has served as the Chief of Air Force between 2012 and 2015. Bydén started his career as second lieutenant in the naval mine and boat service at Härnösands Coastal Artillery Regiment in 1985.
He was a fighter pilot at F 21 Luleå from 1989 to 1996.
There he flew Saskatchewan 61, Saskatchewan 60, AJS/San Francisco/SH/JA 37 as well as HKP 6 totaling 1500 flight hours. In 1991, Bydén was promoted to lieutenant and 1992 to captain and 1996 to major.
He was deputy Division Commander at F 21 Luleå from 1996 to 1997 and acting air attaché at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, District of Columbia from 1999 to 2001. Bydén was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 2001 and served as air attaché at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, District of Columbia from 2001 to 2002 and then as administrator at Krigsförbandsledningens Air Combat Department from 2002 to 2003.
Bydén was commander of the Air Force"s Flying School from 2003 to 2005 and acting commander of the Helicopter Wing from 2005 to 2008.
He was promoted to colonel in 2006 and served as commander of the Helicopter Wing from 2008 to 2009. Bydén was promoted to brigadier general in 2009 and served as head of Training and Procurement (Air Force) from 2009 to 2011. He became the Inspector of the Air Force (later namned Chief of Air Force) with the rank major general in January 2012, a position he stayed in until being appointed Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces on 11 September 2015.