NORDEFCO Policy Level
Nordic defence cooperation has a long tradition. The Nordic Armed Forces are based on similar fundamentals in terms of tasks, objectives and concepts, making broad cooperation both possible and preferable. The cooperation is based on the conviction that there is much to be gained through shared experiences, cost sharing, joint solutions and joint actions.
Nordic defence cooperation is, after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding from 2009, known as NORDEFCO (Nordic Defence Co-operation). It includes all Nordic countries. One of the strengths with NORDEFCO is its flexible format, making it possible for the participants to choose in which projects to participate. This means that much of the cooperation is as likely to be carried out bi-or trilaterally.
NORDEFCO Military level
Increased and credible operational effect
through borderless cooperation.
The Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) was founded in November 2009, when the Nordic Ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of the NORDEFCO. The purpose is an enhanced cooperation between the Nordic countries within the defence area.
The background of NORDEFCO was the historical cooperation between the Nordic nations, but also a shift of focus to cooperation in international crisis management and peace support operations. After the cold war all Nordic nations generally have been facing decreases in purchasing power which was highlighted especially by former Norwegian and Swedish Chiefs of Defence Sverre Diesen and Håkan Syrén.
Critical level
The two generals pointed out the challenge for small nations to maintain a large width of military capabilities and a the same time have enough depth in the capabilities. Without the necessary depth it will be impossible to use a capability, and at the same time maintain it, exercise it, train the personell needed to man it and to develop the capability for the future demands. The two generals used the metaphor of "critical mass" or "critical level" to describe this borderline between production and operational readiness, or a capability that costs unreasonably much money and resources in comparison to its operational availability.
The challenges of critical level
Given the loss of purchasing power, small and medium sized countries will not be able in the close future to sustain complete and balanced armed forces. To put it somewhat simplified the Nordic nations face two options: either to share capabilities with strategic partners on a bilateral or multilateral basis or to face a future with fewer capabilities.
Shared production - to maintain national operational effect
On the military level, this forms the back-bone of the NORDEFCO. The scope of the military level work is to find possibilities to share the production between the nations and release resources for operational use. Some of the means to achieve this is by closer coordination in all defence areas, from strategic studies, through acquisition and logistics, education and exercises to possible cooperation also within actual operations.
Cooperation - Not alliance
The NORDEFCO does not aim for new military or political alliances between the nations. Mutually reinforcing cooperation in capability development can be achieved without negative influence on participating countries' different foreign and security policy orientation and membership obligations in NATO, the EU and the UN. On the contrary, closer practical cooperation in capability development would constitute a supplemental approach in providing the capabilities and forces required by these organisations.
