www.nordefco.org Content 4 Foreword 5 NORDEFCO in a Nutshell Capabilities – COPA CAPA Armaments – COPA ARMA Human Resources and Education – COPA HR&E Training and Exercises – COPA TEX Operations – COPA OPS 7 Norwegian Chairmanship Priorities and Results 9 NORDEFCO Meetings and Events in 2018 10 2018: Results and Activities Air Surveillance Easy Access Human Resources Cross Border Training and Artic Challenge Exercise Nordic Combat Uniform System 12 Nordic Defence Activities, Exercises and Operations From the Ministerial Meeting in Bergen, Norway, 10-11 April 2018 14 Joint Nordic Op-Ed on Trident Juncture We will improve our defence capability and cooperation in peace, crisis and conflict. 17 Nordic Defence Cooperation Vision 2025 We ensure a close Nordic political and military dialogue on security and defence. Acknowledging our different security affiliations, we pursue an agenda based on joint security perspectives, efficient and cost-effective cooperation to strengthen our national defences and the ability to act together. Editors: Kåre Emil Brændeland and Paul André Narvestad, Norwegian Ministry of Defence From the new NORDEFCO Vision 2025, signed by the Nordic Design & illustrations: Tobias Syvertsen, Norwegian Armed Forces Media Centre Project Managers: Claus Andreas Østby and Tove R. Fjeld, Norwegian Armed Forces Media Centre (ref:1555) Ministers of Defence in Oslo on 13 November 2018. Photos: Swedish Armed Forces, Norwegian Armed Forces, Danish Armed Forces, Finnish Defence Forces Print & Circulation: 240g and 120g, Munken Polar Published by the Norwegian chairmanship of NORDEFCO February 2019 2 NORDEFCO Annual Report 2018 3 Foreword NORDEFCO in a Nutshell As the decennial anniversary of the NORDEFCO approach- to draw special attention to our es, it is worth recalling the substantial progress the Nordic new NORDEFCO Vision 2025. I Ministers of Defence defence cooperation has made in recent years. We have am particularly satisfied that ambitiously strengthened our cooperation, but remained the vision clearly states that realistic. There is strong political support for more Nordic we will improve our defence Policy Steering Committe (PSC) defence cooperation. External developments, such as a capability and cooperation Policy Operations Capabilities Armaments more militarily assertive Russia, also underline the need in peace, crisis and conflict. for joint eort. We all agree that a serious security de- This is an important guide go- PSC Secretariat (PSC(S)) velopment in the northernmost corner of Europe would ing forward, supplemented by aect all Nordic countries. This is a powerful reminder of concrete targets concerning our Military Coordination Committee (MCC) Chiefs of Defence (CHODS) the importance of our cooperation. There are dierences future cooperation related to interna- among the NORDEFCO members when it comes to de- tional operations, training and exercises, logistics and de- Coordination staff (CS) fence and security policies and capability development fence procurement and capability development. We also processes. However, despite these divergences, the Nor- emphasize the importance of the transatlantic relation- Cooperation Areas (COPAs) dic countries have cooperated and found pragmatic and ship and continued consultations with our Baltic neigh- flexible solutions, while at the same time respecting each bours. I believe this new vision is appropriate to our region and is a response to the changing security environment in country’s models and standards. Through Nordic and Nor- Human Resources Traning and dic-Baltic cooperation, Norway derives increased insight which we find ourselves. When comparing the previous vi- Capabilities Armaments Operations and understanding as a third country in EU security and sion to this one, I believe it is clear that the Nordic defence and Education Exercises defence aairs. This contributes to NORDEFCO’s role as cooperation has come a long way. The Nordic countries an important aspect of Norway’s broader defence coop- have in 2018 demonstrated their ability to cooperate be- eration. To strengthen the Nordic defence cooperation, yond the NORDEFCO structure. In October and Novem- the Norwegian 2018 chairmanship has actively sought ber, NATO conducted its largest exercise in years. Exercise Cooperation Areas to introduce new plans and objectives, while continuing Trident Juncture brought together more than 50,000 important ongoing projects. We pursued a new Vision for personnel from 31 NATO and partner countries to train NORDEFCO towards 2025 and explored the possibility of in Norway. A significant portion of the participants was ORDEFCO activities and projects are diverse and numerous, covering a wide spectrum of areas and func- cooperating on autonomous unmanned systems and the from the Nordic countries, totalling more than 13,000 tions necessary for national defences. To make sure the nations are directly engaged and involved with their space domain. In international operations, the Nordic de- soldiers. The Nordic countries have dierent alliance com- Nnational expertise, NORDEFCO projects and activities are primarily managed through five cooperation areas fence cooperation is present in Mali by supplying trans- mitments. While Denmark, Iceland and Norway are NATO (COPAs) where nations participate with relevant experts with national mandates. When the NORDEFCO processes port aircras to MINUSMA within a rotational scheme members, Finland and Sweden are close partners through are completed, projects are handed over to the same national line organisations for implementation and use. Lead- and several Nordic countries, with Sweden as the lead the Enhanced Opportunity Partners programme. Through ership of the COPAs rotate between Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, normally every second year. nation, have pledged a contribution to Mobile Training the inclusion of Sweden and Finland in NATO exercises we Teams. Ongoing projects such as the exchange of radar are able to improve our ability to act together in a conflict Cooperation area (COPA) 2017-2018 2019-2020 data (NORECAS), were taken forward this year when the situation if ever needed. I would like to thank all the Nordic Capabilities (CAPA) Denmark Finland Nordic Air Chiefs signed a technical arrangement late in countries for contributing to the NATO exercise. The exer- 2018 to implement the Memorandum of Understanding cise was a major success and demonstrated the geopolit- Armaments (ARMA) Denmark Sweden from 2017. A secure communication VTC – system includ- ical importance of Europe’s northern flank. I hope you will Human Resources and Education (HR&E) ing all five Nordic countries became fully operational. This find this annual report on the Nordic defence cooperation Norway Sweden informative. I will also take this opportunity to thank my enables confidential communication on short notice. The Training and Exercises (TEX) Finland Denmark joint acquisition of Nordic combat uniforms, where we Nordic colleagues for contributing to the achievements aim to procure a common uniform system diering only attained this year. I look forward to the coming year under Operations (OPS) Sweden Norway in camouflage pattern, is progressing according to plan. In the Swedish chairmanship of NORDEFCO. addition, the work on Easy Access has simplified military movement between our countries for training and exer- Capabilities - COPA CAPA cises. Underpinning this work is our regular dialogue on se- curity policy to promote awareness and exchange of views The operational ability of national defences depends on its capabilities, the organisations and systems that com- between the Nordic countries. Looking forward, I want Frank Bakke-Jensen bine personnel and their knowledge and abilities with equipment, material and infrastructure. COPA CAPA looks Minister of Defence, Norway for opportunities to improve national defences by developing and improving existing capabilities, and creating new ones. 4 NORDEFCO Annual Report 2018 5 NORDEFCO Meetings and Events in 2018 Nordic-Baltic Chiefs of Defence 31 January Copenhagen Chiefs of Defence- Military 7-8 March Coordination Committee Oslo Policy Steering Committee 20-21 March Oslo 10-11 April Ministerial Meeting Bergen Nordic Defence Industry Seminar 22-24 May NorSat-1 was launched in July 2014, and uses an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver to track maritime trac. Stockholm State- and Permanent 12 June Secretary Meeting Oslo 4) Explore the issue of Autonomous Unmanned Systems(AUS) IFS/NUPI Seminar on Nordic Defence Cooperation in a New The development of Autonomous Unmanned Systems is in demand, and is already in use in some military capabil- Security Environment. ities. Norway led a study to research the various domestic policies on AUS as well as possibilities for cooperation. 26 June The exploratory study on AUS, which was presented at the ministerial meeting in November, provided increased Oslo awareness and an overview of Nordic countries’ ambitions, plans and policies in regards to AUS and provided a Chiefs of Defence and National platform for increased cooperation in the coming years. One of the findings in this study is that the Nordic coun- 24 August Armaments Directors Meeting tries have no overarching policies or strategies concerning Autonomous Unmanned Systems. There have been Bergen identified opportunities for cooperation in dierent areas, including education/courses as well as training and exercises. Chairman of the Military Coordination Committee addressed the OSCE FSC on 5) Explore possibilities