Norfolk
In Norfolk, Ms Strøm-Erichsen visited HQ SACT, where she met with Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), General Lance L. Smith. She also met with the approximately 20 Norwegian personnel at the base. The Minister gave a presentation on current developments in Norwegian defence policy, followed by a Q&A session. Strøm-Erichsen was also given briefings about the U.S. Combined Joint Operations from the Sea (CJOS) Centre of Excellence and International Submarine Escape & Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO).

HQ SACT is NATO’s strategic command responsible for leading Alliance transformation. It also directs various subordinate commands, including the Joint Warfare Centre (JWC), in Stavanger, Norway.

Defence Minister Strøm-Erichsen also visited “Navy Seal Team Group 2/4”, part of the Naval component to the U.S. Special Operations Command. She was invited onboard one of its Mark V boats, to see the vessel and for a cruise of the harbour.

Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen onboard one of Navy SEAL’s Mark V boats. Photo: Navy SEALs

Strøm-Erichsen was also given a tour of the carrier USS George Washington. The ship is 1100 feet long and can take a crew of 6000.

Washington DC
In the Pentagon, Strøm-Erichsen met with Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was unfortunately absent due to an operation. An important issue in the meeting between Mr England and Ms Strøm-Erichsen was the future of NATO and the upcoming summit in Riga. Both agreed there is a need for mechanisms to secure civil-military cooperation in international operations. The two moreover discussed the UN operation in Lebanon, the situation in Sudan and the ISAF operation in Afghanistan.

Welcome in the Pentagon by Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England.Photo: Pentagon

Strøm-Erichsen later met with Ambassador Eric S. Edelman, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. The discussion focused on the situation in Afghanistan and the challenges this presents to NATO. The need for organisational reform of NATO’s HQ and command structure was also debated. Ambassador Edelman expressed his appreciation of Norway’s efforts to assist security sector reform in Ukraine and the Balkans.

Norway’s ambassador in Washington, Mr Knut Vollebæk, and the U.S. Ambassador to Norway, Mr Benson Whitney also attended the meetings.

The Defence Minister met with Lockheed Martin’s corporate leadership for presentations on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project. Strøm-Erichsen stressed that Norway needs to see a satisfactory industrial package for the Norwegian industrial sector if it is to continue its participation in the JSF project with a view to procure JSF aircrafts at a later stage. This message was reiterated in the meetings in the Pentagon.

New York
At the UN Headquarters, Ms Strøm-Erichsen met with Mr Jean-Marie Guèhenno, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. The primary focus of the meeting was the planned operations in Lebanon and Sudan and Norway’s possible contributions to these. The two also discussed the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations’ (DPKO) ability to plan and lead today’s complex international operations. The Defence Minister underlined that it is important for Norway that personnel has a robust mandate and rules of engagement that allow them to carry out the tasks they have been assigned.

These issues were also discussed in the Minister’s meeting with Major General Per Arne Five. Major General Five, who is a Norwegian, serves as Deputy Military Adviser in the DPKO.