The reform implies an integration of the Chief of Defence and his strategic functions in the Ministry of Defence. The Headquarters of Defence will thus be shut down, and a Defence Staff will be established to support the Chief of Defence as head of the Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defence will carry on as a government office and will be strengthened by the addition of military competence.

Defence minister, Kristin Krohn Devold, has great expectations to the reform, and says:

"Today’s leadership of the Armed Forces is not sufficiently adapted to the new defence and security environment. The changes in the top leadership will strengthen its capacity for strategic and superior planning, leadership and control. The conditions for handling crises and international co-operation on defence and security matters will improve further. Moreover, carrying out the reorganisation and reductions in manpower will be easier to accomplish, which may release resources for production of forces and operative activities. The leadership of the Armed Forces will spearhead this reorganisation.

The leadership reform in the Armed Forces will also make the following possible:

• a structure that resembles that of most other NATO nations
• a more efficient management of the organisation
• more efficient and rational decision processes
• improved conditions for Chief of Defence’s execution of his office
• simplified and holistic working processes by joining circles of competence, minimising overlap in the two organisations and creating more clear-cut lines of management and more transparent processes

A total of 484 persons will be working in the Integrated Ministry of Defence (300) and the newly established Defence Staff (184).

The Ministry of Defence will be responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the Armed Forces, and attend to Defence- and security related issues. The Ministry of Defence will be organised in departments according to regular practice in public administration. Each department will be organised in specific sections in accordance with the departments’ core activities. Project- and group work across the boundaries of the different departments will be a more regular way of working than today. Military and civilian employees will be put in positions at all levels, to ensure a highest possible degree of civil-military integration in the Ministry of Defence.

The Defence Staff will be responsible of carrying through tasks and ensuring that decisions are followed up on behalf of the Chief of Defence. This includes ensuring that plans and budgets, which have been established and communicated from the Ministry, are implemented. The Inspector Generals will be part of the Defence Staff, and be responsible for the production of forces in each branch of the Armed Forces.

The Chief of Defence will have two parallel functions. He will be the chief of the Defence Military Organisation, as well as playing an important role in the Ministry as the defence minister’s highest military adviser.

The Secretary General’s role as the administrative head of the Ministry of Defence will remain unchanged.

The integrated leadership will reside in the new provisional localities at Akershus Fortress until the new premises are ready. The new premises are expected finished by 2005/2006.