The Government has today made public its Long Term Plan on Defence, covering the period 2002-2005. The Government plans to substantially reduce and thoroughly reorganise Norway’s defence structure and overall peacetime establishment to adapt to challenges and tasks at hand. Renewal of the defence organisation is considered paramount for maintaining continued military credibility. The process will be completed within the period 2002-2005 and will enable the Norwegian armed forces, after 2005, to adapt more flexibly to future demands. The Plan constitutes the first comprehensive Norwegian response to the on-going overall transformation of NATO and the fundamental changes taking place within the Euro-Atlantic area. The Plan is based on recommendations as set out in the Defence Policy Commission’s Report and the Chief of Defence’s Defence Study 2000 issued simultaneously in June 2000.

During the subject period priority will be given to restructuring the peacetime establishment – its organisation and functioning. In particular the focus is on the top level echelons, the national command structure per se, including MOD and the current CHOD HQ Defence Command. The overall command structure will be tailored to the smaller force structure and peacetime organisation. Within the period, there will be less room for new major equipment programmes and new force elements.

In line with NATO’s 1999 Strategic Concept, and subsequent requirements as identified through the Alliance’s Defence Capabilities Initiative (DCI), the Government intends to realign the armed forces to enable Norway to contribute more effectively to Euro-Atlantic peace and stability, including through enhanced co-operation with Allies and Partners and within the context of a further developed European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). The process towards a broader, inclusive Euro-Atlantic security order has to be appropriately reflected in our defence organisation. In addition, due account is taken of the fact that Norway remains part of a region in which substantial natural resources and the presence of significant military forces constitutes a permanent feature.

The necessary renewal of the defence establishment will be carried out commensurate with national and Alliance requirements and tasks. The key challenge is to redress imbalances pertaining to 1) the relation between planned tasks and the new international security environment; 2) the costs of running the peacetime establishment and available resources, and 3) bringing force production plans in line with new priorities of defence tasks.

The objective is to establish a well balanced force structure better tuned to the more likely tasks, both contributing to Alliance-led operations and meeting national requirements, maintaining key capabilities essential to territorial defence and reconstitution of adequate forces. As an important element of this force structure, Norway intends to further develop its Armed Forces Task Force. The Force will serve as a force pool for generating contributions tailored to operations at hand, particularly improving capabilities and readiness to contribute to Alliance-led operations. Hence, Norway will integrate the ability to contribute units to crisis response operations as a permanent key feature of the new structure. Procurement of two base-sets for air reaction forces units, to enhance ability to operate independently of permanent bases, will add to this. The structure Norway is developing will be capable of handling major challenges, including reception and host nation support of allied reinforcements.

The Long Term Plan comprises a detailed proposition on how a major restructuring of Norway’s defence organisation will be carried out. The document also invites decisions by Parliament on defence structure and peacetime organisation. The Parliament will address the Document in June 2001, at which time final decisions on the peacetime organisation will be taken.

The Government proposes to make available total appropriations amounting to NOK 112 billion throughout the period 2002-2005, including funding of procurement of new frigates, funding of participation in crisis response operations and specific funds linked to restructuring. Of available funds, 21.4% are planned to be spent on procurement of major equipment. The Government envisages an overall package of restructuring funds of NOK 10 billion to ensure sufficient flexibility to carry the process through. Special measures have to be undertaken to facilitate the needed reduction in personnel numbers. The objective is to reduce manning levels by the equivalent of 5000 man-labour years or by more than 25 per cent. During the subject period, restructuring should result in savings in operations and maintenance (O&M) of some NOK 2 billion annually, compared with the costs of continued operation of the current organisation.

The restructuring will entail a major reorganisation of Norway’s strategic defence leadership. The Government proposes that the Chief of Defence, together with the strategic parts of the current CHOD HQ Defence Command, be integrated with the MOD. The Chief of Defence will be double hatted; he will serve as supreme military adviser, working within the MOD, and he will be in daily charge of the military organisation. The current CHOD HQ Defence Command will disappear by the end of 2004, at the latest. In parallel, the entire national command structure will be reorganised and scaled down; the number of command levels and elements will reduce substantially. The Government suggests to establish a National Joint Operational Headquarters, co-located with NATO’s Joint Headquarters North, in Stavanger. Two operational commands, located at Trondheim and Bodø, will be directly subordinated to this HQ. The National HQ in Stavanger will be led by a Commander-in-Chief, who might delegate certain tasks to the HQ in Bodø, which will also function as a forward based organic part of the National HQ, with a basic capability to command joint and single service operations. The Bodø HQ will also be responsible for national crisis management in the northern areas.

Territorial defence will be reorganised into 8 Defence Districts (Army) and 14 Home Guard District Staffs. A number of these Army and Home Guard Staffs will be co-located. The Home Guard will be transformed into a smaller, more modern force, better adapted to performing territorial defence tasks in close co-operation with relevant Army units. For the Navy and Air Force, a reduced number of naval and air bases will be tasked with education and training of units.

The new national command structure will be more easily adjustable to changes to the overall Alliance structure. It is tailored to facilitating the reception, onward movement and general support of Allied forces and reinforcements. The regional command in Trondheim will specifically be linked to reception and host nation support of allied reinforcement units. Dedicated units for host nation support are planned as part of the future force structure, which, overall, will contain some 125 000 personnel when mobilised.

Land forces will comprise about 40 000 personnel and inter alia include one mobile division HQ; two brigades; land forces elements of the Armed Forces Task Force within a brigade framework; one ranger battalion; 20 territorial companies and various support units. Maritime forces will consist of five new frigates with helicopters; six submarines; one logistic support ship; eight minesweepers; one minelayer; one coastal jaeger command; one mine clearance command; coast guard; and support units. The traditional stationary Coast Artillery is being replaced by a fundamentally new concept, encompassing a coastal jaeger command, including fast attack vessels and mobile missile system. Air forces will comprise 58 combat aircraft; six MPAs; six transport aircraft; 18 transport helicopters; two EW and one VIP aircraft; two bare base set; three MSAM missile batteries; and SAR helicopters. Activity, training and education will be conducted at two main air bases and four air bases. Tasks assigned to combat aircraft are broadened beyond air defence. Both the maritime and air forces will, upon mobilisation, consist of some 10 000 personnel. In addition, the force structure will encompass an adjusted Home Guard, better tailored to territorial defence tasks, of some 60 000 personnel, special forces, and a C2IS organisation.

To support the new structure, integrated and more cost-effective support organisations will be established. New concepts and routines on distribution, provision, storage etc. will be introduced. New principles will be applied for provision of logistics and logistic support, and for management, operation and maintenance of infrastructure assets and facilities. Norway’s ability to support and sustain units participating in crisis response operations will thereby be improved. A new common logistics organisation to serve the complete peacetime defence establishment has recently been approved by Parliament.

The construction service will also be reorganised and tailored to fit the new military structure. Current principles for managing investments, administration, operation and deletion of infrastructure will be revised.

Education and training will be concentrated on a reduced number of locations. Savings will be sought through streamlining, by jointness across the services, by combining similar functions and by avoiding duplication. Educational and competence centres will be established for combat skills, communications, logistics, medical service and air defence, and a similar Home Guard educational centre will be created.

Conscription will be maintained. A new and more differentiated pattern is suggested, based on four or twelve months’ service. The shorter term will be combined with refresher training and will be offered to conscripts serving with the Home Guard. In general, conscripts serving for 12 months will not be called in for refresher training except, if required, in the context of major Allied exercises. The number of conscripts called in for service will reduce, and emphasis will be put on the selection process to seek those best qualified and suitable. Conscription will preserve the close link between civil society and our armed forces; it will positively affect the scope for savings, and will facilitate our future ability to reconstitute forces. Conscripts educated annually will represent the source for recruitment of personnel to crisis response operations.