NORSOF Military Assistance Capability Development
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Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis and Dissertation Collection 2016-09 NORSOF military assistance capability development Hedenstrom, Andreas Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/50557 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA DEFENSE ANALYSIS CAPSTONE PROJECT REPORT NORSOF MILITARY ASSISTANCE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT by Andreas Hedenstrom Marius Kristiansen September 2016 Capstone Advisor: Anna Simons Second Reader: George Lober Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704–0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED (Leave blank) September 2016 Capstone project report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS NORSOF MILITARY ASSISTANCE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT 6. AUTHOR(S) Andreas Hedenstrom and Marius Kristiansen 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING Naval Postgraduate School ORGANIZATION REPORT Monterey, CA 93943-5000 NUMBER 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND 10. SPONSORING / ADDRESS(ES) MONITORING AGENCY Norwegian Special Operations Command (NORSOCOM), Oslo, Norway. REPORT NUMBER Norwegian Defense Research Establishment (FFI), Kjeller, Norway. 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. IRB number ____N/A____. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) How can Norwegian Special Operations Forces (NORSOF) improve its capabilities for military assistance (MA) in order to increase the strategic utility of both NORSOF and MA? After examining and analyzing the broader literature, a more specific body of literature about NORSOF, the results of an already existing survey of NORSOF personnel, and comments contained within both the respective literature and the survey results, we recommend establishing a national SOF doctrine to strengthen NORSOF niches in the global SOF network, seek synergy between national tasks and MA, increase NORSOF “vertical implementation” in operations, use the MA capability in support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and establish an “MA Network of Practice” across NORSOF units. This capstone concludes with three new courses of action that demonstrate how NORSOF’s enhanced MA capabilities can be pursued in order to achieve strategic objectives for Norway in the realms of deterrence, reassurance, and conflict resolution. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF Norwegian Special Operations Forces, military assistance, capability development, foreign PAGES internal defense, security force assistance, security sector reform, global SOF network, 187 deterrence, reassurance, negotiations 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF OF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU NSN 7540–01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2–89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239–18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited. NORSOF MILITARY ASSISTANCE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT MAJ Andreas Hedenstrom CPT Marius Kristiansen Norwegian Army Norwegian Army Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN DEFENSE ANALYSIS from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL September 2016 Approved by: Anna Simons George Lober Capstone Advisor Second Reader Approved by: John Arquilla Chair, Department of Defense Analysis iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT How can Norwegian Special Operations Forces (NORSOF) improve its capabilities for military assistance (MA) in order to increase the strategic utility of both NORSOF and MA? After examining and analyzing the broader literature, a more specific body of literature about NORSOF, the results of an already existing survey of NORSOF personnel, and comments contained within both the respective literature and the survey results, we recommend establishing a national SOF doctrine to strengthen NORSOF niches in the global SOF network, seek synergy between national tasks and MA, increase NORSOF “vertical implementation” in operations, use the MA capability in support of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and establish an “MA Network of Practice” across NORSOF units. This capstone concludes with three new courses of action that demonstrate how NORSOF’s enhanced MA capabilities can be pursued in order to achieve strategic objectives for Norway in the realms of deterrence, reassurance, and conflict resolution. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................1 A. SPONSORS AND RESEARCH QUESTION .........................................1 B. DEFINITION AND ELEMENTS OF “CAPABILITY” ........................2 C. THE RISE OF MILITARY ASSISTANCE FOR NORSOF .................3 D. METHODOLOGY/OUTLINE .................................................................5 II. LITERATURE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION ..................................................7 A. DOCTRINE ................................................................................................7 1. National Doctrines .........................................................................7 2. NATO ..............................................................................................9 3. Comparison of NATO and U.S. Doctrine ..................................11 4. Thematic Doctrines: Norway ......................................................13 5. National vs. International Tasks .................................................14 6. NORSOF Expertise, Norwegian Strategic Niches ....................18 7. Summary .......................................................................................21 B. ORGANIZATION: WHO DOES WHAT .............................................22 1. Research on NORSOF Organization .........................................22 2. “Vertical Split” .............................................................................23 3. “Organizational Fit” ....................................................................25 4. “Horizontal Development” and “Vertical Implementation” ..........................................................................30 5. Doctrinal Responsibility for MA in Norwegian DOD ..............31 6. Summary .......................................................................................33 C. TRAINING AND PERSONNEL ............................................................34 1. Professional Skills vs. Cultural and Pedagogic Competence ..................................................................................35 2. MA-specific Traits and Skills ......................................................37 3. Norwegian “Exceptionalism”? ....................................................39 4. Summary .......................................................................................41 III. ANALYSIS OF THE FFI SURVEY ..................................................................43 A. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................43 B. DOCTRINAL ISSUES ............................................................................43 1. MA in Doctrine .............................................................................43 2. NORSOF on “Strategic Importance of Direct vs. Indirect Approaches” .................................................................................45 3. NORSOF on Doctrinal Responsibility for MA .........................49 vii 4. NORSOF on Norwegian Strategic Interests in MA Operations ....................................................................................51 5. NORSOF on the Dangers of Misuse ...........................................54 6. Summary .......................................................................................58 C. ORGANIZATION OF NORSOF ...........................................................58 1. Current Fit for Doctrinal Tasks .................................................58 2. “Vertical Split” vs. “Horizontal Development” ........................61 3. MA Experts and Enablers ...........................................................64 4. Summary .......................................................................................66 D. TRAINING AND PERSONNEL ............................................................66 1. Thoroughness Breeds Confidence? ............................................68 2. Recruitment ..................................................................................71