Chapter 3: Strategic guidelines for the 21st century

	Military engineer Knut Einar Haug was befriended by local children when he found water in Chad, where Norway provides field hospital support as part of the UN MINURC AT II mission.

The role of the Norwegian Armed Forces is of necessity flexible as it responds to an ever-changing situation internationally and at home. In broad outline, however, the defence establishment operates within a set of long-term strategic guidelines for foreign and domestic policy in the 21st century.

Norway’s foreign policy, according to these guidelines, “must handle and safeguard Norwegian interests and values in a rapidly changing world”. It must also “contribute to promoting international collective goods and to building a better organized world” while promoting initiatives and activities aimed at fighting poverty and creating fairer wealth distribution as well as a more democratic world order, both globally and regionally.

Strong support for the UN and international law and for Norway’s membership of NATO underline, in their different ways, Norway’s determination to be “a clear peace nation” and to continue efforts to prevent, mitigate and settle international conflicts and disputes.

Northern Areas
Foreign policy is to be based in part on the need to develop and establish a “holistic Northern Areas strategy.” The status of this region, it is argued, has changed, so that it is no longer seen as a security policy deployment area but rather as “an energy policy power centre and an area that faces great environmental policy challenges”. Norwegian economic interests, environmental interests and security policy interests in the North are all closely linked.

The risk of accidents at sea, the challenges from increased petroleum activities, the consequences of climate changes and the risk of nuclear pollution are to be countered aggressively through stronger standby emergency arrangements and closer international cooperation on measures aimed at reducing these risks. The government will also seek international acceptance of Norwegian views on Svalbard, fishing zones, oil and gas extraction and sound environmental management.

In line with the Northern Areas’ status as “Norway’s strategic principal interest”, the Defence presence and “exercise of sovereignty in the North” are to be strengthened – including the Defence contribution to standby emergency arrangements for environmental crises and the Coastguard’s resource control and standby emergency arrangements.

Norway’s contribution of military forces to the EU’s rapid reaction force is limited to circumstances in which “there is a clear, unambiguous UN mandate for this”. The Storting is responsible for adopting any resolution on the provision of Norwegian forces, and must be informed immediately when a request for the provision of forces has been received.

The Storting must also have access to all relevant information necessary to make an independent decision; there must be applicable rules of engagement, and Norway must be ensured a presence in the command structure.

Promoting peace
Norway believes it can play a more important role in peace building – conflict prevention and conflict settlement, to be precise – than in other foreign policy areas. It is partly a matter of self-interest, working to prevent situations or incidents that may directly hit Norway. Promoting development and alleviating suffering in other countries that are ravaged by conflicts is not only an end in itself, but also a defensive policy insofar as such conflicts contribute to international terrorism, the spreading of weapons of mass destruction, ethnic hatred, environmental or economic crises and large waves of refugees.

The government wants NATO countries to lead the way in preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, with the ultimate aim of scrapping them completely. Norway also wants to see any plans for a missile defence shield shelved in favour of early warning technology and other measures for the prevention of conflicts.

Given that light hand weapons are the weapons that kill the largest number of people, there is a strong case for international action to limit the trade in such weapons, including the drafting of a separate international arms trade treaty. “It is in the best interest of Norway that we have a UN-led world order and not a situation in which nations take matters into their own hands.” Norwegian civilian and military participation in the UN’s peace-keeping and peace-building operations will increase, as will its efforts to encourage the drafting of an international arms trade treaty and the introduction of an international ban on cluster bombs and its cooperation with NGOs, research environments and other parties engaged in peace work and conflict settlement.

Norway’s continued membership in NATO is seen as an opportunity “actively to develop a transatlantic dialogue”. Norwegian civilian and military participation in the UN’s peace-keeping work, with special emphasis on Africa, underlines the importance of building on the competence that Norway has built up in such operations. The withdrawal of Norwegian staff officers and training officers from Iraq confirms the government’s insistence that “participation in international operations must be rooted in the UN Charter and have a clear UN mandate” and that “Norway should not participate in pre-emptive attacks that have not been authorized by the UN”. Any agreements on making Norwegian forces available for international operations must conform to clear guidelines in accordance with international conventions.

Another new friend for Norway's work in Chad

	Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg; below, the government’s political platform following re-election in 2009

Financial planning
In strengthening the economic management of the defence sector, not only must the Storting’s budgetary framework be met, but large investments in new equipment must be regularly reviewed in connection with long-term planning and experience gained from demanning, privatization and tendering. Horizontal coordination, the coordination of activities between different ministries at the same level in the government bureaucracy, is crucial.

A modern, flexible defence establishment, adapted to new security challenges and more complex threats, must handle a wide range of different tasks and priorities: stand-by arrangements along the coast, environmental monitoring and maritime rescue work are just some of the areas to be strengthened. The Armed Forces must be geared towards the exercise of sovereignty and towards ensuring stability in Norwegian waters, especially in the North.

The principle of general compulsory military service is maintained, albeit with some adjustments. Military equipment procurement is in line with a public procurement policy that ensures repurchase agreements and conformity with foreign policy objectives.

In short, the government aims to:

• implement measures to improve the economic manage ment of the defence establishment,
• set up a broad-based committee to prepare the basis for a new long-term defence plan from 2009,
• ensure a balance between military and civilian standby arrangements and attach increased importance to civil protection,
• refrain from providing military forces for international operations that are not rooted in the UN Charter and for which there is not a clear UN mandate,
• withdraw Norwegian staff officers and training officers from Iraq,
• strengthen Norwegian participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan (on which basis, Norwegian participation in Operation Enduring Freedom would not be renewed when the mandate period for these forces expired),
• set up an advisory committee on security policy and civil protection,
• maintain the principal defence objective of exercising sovereignty and ensuring stability in our adjacent areas,
• maintain a strong defence presence in Northern Norway and follow-up political resolutions on the localization of detachments.

Economic impact
The defence establishment is one of the country’s largest employers. In many parts of the country, it has a substantial impact on the local economy in terms of housing, employment and local business. The training which the Armed Forces give their members provides them with skills much in demand in civilian life. A sizeable share of the defence budget is also of direct benefit to Norwegian business, in the form of operating costs, investments, and buy-back schemes.

Recent defence budgets, giving priority to Northern Area and UN operations, average over NOK 30 billion, with particular priority given to the High North and to support for international peace operations and conflict management, primarily under the auspices of the United Nations and NATO, “within the framework of a world order led by the UN”. The process of restructuring the Armed Forces in light of the new security challenges requires funding for units covering a broad range of tasks, emphasizing rapid reaction and high deployability while strengthening the Armed Forces’ overall operative capacity. The ministry describes this as “a goal-oriented use of investment funds”, through which more personnel are to be made available for operational activities within the framework of general conscription as a central part of the defence concept.

In many respects the budgets reflect the status of the Northern Area as Norway’s most important strategic target area. The Armed Forces’ capacity for solving tasks is to be strengthened, in particular in terms of presence and the exercise of sovereignty in the North, while the government also prepares for active international engagement and increased participation in UN-led operations. Within the operations and maintenance budget, the government seeks to strengthen operational activity in all services, the Coast Guard and the security community so as to increase defence activity in the Northern Area, supply forces for international operations, and further the restructuring process in the Armed Forces.

As of January 2009, the Armed Forces’ contribution to multinational operations abroad in terms of personnel involved 640 men and women. The main area of deployment was Afghanistan, with a total of about 580 soldiers and officers in Kabul, Meymaneh and Mazar-e Sharif; but in addition the Armed Forces provided personnel for operations in Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans.

Announcing its latest long-term plan for the Armed Forces in March 2008, the government stressed its intention to give the Armed Forces “a substantial financial boost... both over the forthcoming four-year period and thereafter”. Warming to its theme, the defence ministry continued: “This is a plan for building up the Armed Forces, not cutting them back.” (subsequently, a two per cent rise in the 2009 defence budget allayed fears that the government might actually cut military spending in response to the global economic downturn.)

Military presence in the government’s prime area for strategic investment, the northern region, was to be strengthened with particular emphasis on “addressing the tasks and challenges that we face in our adjacent sea areas, just as it has been since this government took over in 2005.” Substantial contributions to international operations would continue, while the system of compulsory military service would be carried forward and strengthened with the period of initial service extended to 12 months for all.

Mandatory screening sessions for women were to be introduced in order to ensure that “all young women in a particular age group will have access to information about the life offered by the armed services”, which in turn would help to strengthen the recruiting of women to the services. “At the same time the sessions themselves will be improved by dividing them into two parts with the first part devoted to exploring the individual’s own interests and aspirations. This will enhance the quality of the sessions while at the same time making it easier for contact to be made with those who are the most motivated and best suited to service in the Armed Forces.” The Army and the Home Guard were to be strengthened through increased funding allocations and reinforcement of the brigade structure.

Manpower numbers would increase and more thorough preparation and training for operations abroad would be introduced. The Home Guard would continue to develop its operational capability and extend its presence with 45,000 soldiers countrywide. The Navy’s operational capability would be significantly enhanced with the commissioning of new helicopter-equipped frigates and MTBs, with a new logistics ship following later. “This will give us one of the world’s most modern navies”, the ministry said. With the Coast Guard, this would constitute “an increased naval presence which will be valuable not least in our adjacent sea areas”. For the Air Force, new transport aircraft were to be phased-in, and its main helicopter facilities brought together at Bardufoss.

A focus on service manpower would mean intensified efforts to recruit and retain the best qualified men and women. “Skill levels will be strengthened substantially and the way is being prepared for an increase in manpower numbers from about 16,000 to about 17,000.” Current work on improving follow-up arrangements for personnel leaving the services would be continued, as would the strengthening of the rights of retired personnel. “When Norwegian men and women are sent out to serve the cause of international peace and security, they must be able to feel sure that they will receive whatever follow-up support they may need.” The government also aimed to strengthen the top-level strategic and operational leadership of the Armed Forces by bringing operational command together at one headquarters in the north, at Reitan, “in line with the Government’s increased focus on the northern regions”. It was proposed that the single-service Chiefs of Staff should be located “close to their respective main areas of activity.

Summing up, the government argued that “the measures contained in the long-term plan are fully financed through a substantial increase in defence funding combined with internal measures to improve cost-effectiveness. The financing of the Armed Forces will be brought into balance and this in turn will give the necessary predictability and stability for the future.

“With this plan, therefore, the restructuring of Norway’s defence is moved forward into a new phase in which a good balance can be maintained between the tasks that the Armed Forces are required to carry out, the organizational structure and the resources provided.”

Personnel matters
According to the Norwegian Constitution, all fit male citizens have an obligation to serve in the defence of their country. Liability to military service starts at the age of 19, and runs until age 44. Operative needs set the demand for the numbers of conscripts, who serve for about a year. In addition to those in the traditional war structure, military employees also work as economists, doctors, meteorologists and engineers. Civilian employees fill a range of important positions in the Armed Forces: researchers, solicitors, technicians, veterinary surgeons, information consultants and other specialists and administrators.

Peacetime strength is about 23,000 including officers, civilian employees and conscripts; strength after mobilization (in the event of war or other national crises) would be roughly 83,000.

The military and operative branch of the Armed Forces is led by the National Joint Headquarters (NJHQ) in Stavanger. Under the NJHQ is the Regional Headquarters North at Reitan in Bodø, which functions as a forward command element responsible for the continuous monitoring of the Norwegian Sea areas. The Norwegian Defence is divided into defence branches: Army, Navy and Air Force.

The Home Guard is organized in the same manner. Of a number of joint departments in the Armed Forces supporting operative needs, the largest is the Defence Logistics Organization. Acting as a centre of professional expertise, its responsibilities include the provision of engineering, procurement, investment, supply, information and communications technology services, and the maintenance, repair and storage of materiel. 

Norwegian soldiers on patrol with International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul