Norway is well equipped for Allied reception
Opinions
The Armed Forces’ logistics organization has been commissioned to review all emergency preparedness agreements the Armed Forces has. The purpose of such a review is to ensure the best possible agreements at all times.
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VG and Aftenposten with several media have pointed out that the Armed Forces’ agreement with Wilnor Governmental Services (WGS) expired on 20 March. There are several reasons why the agreement will not be extended in its current form. The Armed Forces is constantly evolving. We will use the experience we have from several major exercises and high allied activity to review all our agreements as a basis for finding the best solutions for the years to come.
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A joint operation
I am not worried about Norway’s ability to receive allies in a crisis or war. Our most important allies have time and again shown the ability to establish themselves in places with far less developed infrastructure than a total defense in Norway can provide.
Allied reception is not based on a simple agreement alone. It is a civil-military joint operation. The Armed Forces has several agreements with scalable capacity in addition to our own resources. Norway also has emergency preparedness legislation which, in the extreme, further strengthens our overall ability to support the defense of Norway.
Blameworthy conditions
The Ministry of Defence’s internal audit (FD IR) has examined the agreement the Armed Forces had with WGS and eventually engaged an audit firm, KPMG, to get an external view of the case. KPMG concluded as FD IR that there were matters worthy of criticism related to the agreement.
The main findings relate to breaches of the procurement regulations and in the administration of the agreement. The Norwegian Armed Forces’ logistics organization (FLO) at the time disagreed on several of the points. The findings were presented to me after the investigation was completed in the spring of 2021. Based on the findings in the report, I decided not to extend the agreement with WGS after it expired in March 2022.
Best deals at all times
FLO has been commissioned to review all contingency agreements between the Armed Forces. The purpose of such a review is to ensure the best possible agreements at all times. When Chief FLO recommended extending WGS until March 2022, it was to buy time to find new solutions. The arguments from the head of FLO were weighty, but I accept the risk as long as Cold Response exercises in 2022 could be supported by the current agreement.
Disagreement and different views within the defense leadership are fortunately part of everyday life. Aftenposten referred to both head FLO and head FOH had concerns that agreements with WGS were not extended beyond March 2022.
It is through such discussions that we bring out the risk in decisions and it is important that there is both room and ceiling for different opinions. The defense gets better through discussions and different points of view. Finally, it is my responsibility to make a decision if not everyone is the only one.
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Strength with personnel
With regard to logistics solutions for the Home Guard, Chief of the Home Guard has long expressed concern about the costs versus the usefulness of the storage that the WGS agreement has provided for. Most recently last week, Major General Elisabeth Michelsen and I had a discussion about what it would take for the Home Guard to take over the entire administration of the material the Home Guard needs to have stored at their districts.
I therefore want to strengthen the Home Guard with personnel. The Home Guard shall itself take responsibility for the part of the logistics that the Home Guard should have control of and which has partly been stored at WGS.
Facilitate
Olavsvern was decided to be wound up several years ago. It is no longer a base the Armed Forces need because the Armed Forces has put in place other solutions after the disposal of Olavsvern. Ramsund, Sørreisa and Grøtsund are examples of places that will be important in the future for both ourselves and our allies.
The Armed Forces must also find better solutions in the future to support Allied training and exercises in Norway. When allies train and practice is necessary for facilities large. In peacetime, the Armed Forces has not mobilized, and emergency preparedness legislation has not entered into force. We must therefore make better arrangements for our allies for shorter or longer training stays.
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We must be able to offer affordable training and preferably in places that are close to other normal Norwegian military activity. The purpose of moving more Allied activity to Inner Troms, for example, is for Norwegians and allies to train and practice together as much as possible.
Work out new solutions
The Armed Forces has purchased services from WGS that will be delivered throughout the spring. The agreement with WGS has contributed to a number of improvements in the logistics support and the Armed Forces has called for the agreement until the summer.
In the meantime, we will work out new solutions based on many years of experience from high allied activity in Norway and our surrounding areas. Norway is well equipped for Allied reception, but we can always be even better.