Practice makes perfect Small states and Multi-national Military Exercises Teodor Frost Thesis, 15 ECTS (hp) Political Science with a focus on security policy Master’s Programme in Politics Spring 2021 Supervisor: Stephanie Winkler Word count: 15997 Teodor Frost Master thesis FHS 2021 Abstract Multi-national military exercises have been recognised to have both military utility and political effects, however these mechanisms have been mainly studied from of major states. The purpose of the study is to determine what motivations Small states have to participate in multi-national military exercises and how they are used as a political tool, in order to further develop a analytical framework for analysing Small states behaviour in military exercise. The study was conducted via a single case study on Sweden through a deductive thematic analysis with themes developed on the basis of existing theory on a military exercise and Small state theory. Press releases and annual reports were scrutinised and relevant codes were identified. Results show that all themes outlined were represented in the material. What can be gathered from the investigation is how Small states highly value factors such as increasing military capacity and interoperability. The major find of the investigation was how Small states use multi-national military exercises is order to enhance deterrence, strengthen relationships, and to increase prestige and relevance, all in the pursuit of security. The investigation showed that Small states are indeed different from that of Great states in how they use multi-national military exercises. Recommendation were then made on further studies, such as quantitative or comparative efforts. Keywords: Military Exercises, Multi-national military exercises, military cooperation, Small states, thematic approach. 2 Teodor Frost Master thesis FHS 2021 Table of contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Table of contents ........................................................................................................................ 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 Research problem ................................................................................................................... 5 Aims ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Research questions ................................................................................................................. 7 Contribution ........................................................................................................................... 7 Disposition ............................................................................................................................. 7 Literature review ........................................................................................................................ 8 Military exercise theory ......................................................................................................... 8 Small state theory ................................................................................................................. 14 Small states strategies ........................................................................................................... 17 Analytical framework ............................................................................................................... 19 Aspirations ........................................................................................................................... 19 Ontological Assumptions ..................................................................................................... 19 From Great to Small ............................................................................................................. 20 Rehearsal .......................................................................................................................... 21 Innovation and generation of new competencies ............................................................. 22 Deterrence & signalling ................................................................................................... 22 Interoperability ................................................................................................................. 23 Relevance and Prestige: ................................................................................................... 23 Research design and method .................................................................................................... 25 Single case study thematic analysis ..................................................................................... 25 Case selection ....................................................................................................................... 25 Material used & samples ...................................................................................................... 26 Thematic analysis ................................................................................................................. 26 Study execution .................................................................................................................... 26 Empirical limitations ............................................................................................................ 27 Case study, Swedish major exercises 2015-2019 ..................................................................... 28 Exercises studied .................................................................................................................. 28 Aurora 17 .......................................................................................................................... 29 3 Teodor Frost Master thesis FHS 2021 Trident Juncture 18 ........................................................................................................... 30 Cold Response .................................................................................................................. 30 BALTOPS ........................................................................................................................ 31 Northern Coasts ................................................................................................................ 31 Arctic Challenge ............................................................................................................... 31 Results ...................................................................................................................................... 32 Rehearsal .............................................................................................................................. 32 Innovation and generation of new competencies ................................................................. 33 Deterrence & signalling ....................................................................................................... 34 Interoperability ..................................................................................................................... 36 Relevance and Prestige ......................................................................................................... 38 Analysis and discussion ........................................................................................................... 40 Rehearsal and Innovation ..................................................................................................... 40 Deterrence and signalling ..................................................................................................... 41 Interoperability ..................................................................................................................... 41 Relevance and Prestige ......................................................................................................... 42 Reproducibility ..................................................................................................................... 43 Role of themes ...................................................................................................................... 43 Generalisability of the case. ................................................................................................. 43 Limitations ........................................................................................................................... 44 Future opportunities and Conclusions ...................................................................................... 46 Suggestions for future studies .............................................................................................. 46 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 46 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 48 4 Teodor Frost Master thesis FHS 2021 Introduction Research problem Central to every state’s behaviour is establishing its own security, and military exercises play a part in that process. Military exercises, and multi-national military exercises (MNE) are usually understood by most scholars to be either