Page 20 - Leverage and Learn_Neat

Leverage Allied Investments and Combat Learning Experience in Modernizing the U.S. Military

And that will include the possibility of an expanded relationship with India as well. The Indians have
purchased P-8s as well but have put unique systems on the aircraft to do many of the missions. There is an
inherent potential for India to work with the other P-8 partners as well but full cooperation will require
reaching a number of data sharing agreements with the other P-8 partners.

In effect, the P-8 will be part of the evolving naval collaborative framework between the Indians and the U.S.
as well as with other allies. What makes the P-8 an especially interesting platform is that it is a shared
platform between India and the U.S. with others (such as Australia) likely to join in and this sharing of a
platform can provide a tool for enhancing collaboration in the daunting task of shaping effective ISR for 21st
century maritime missions.
The opportunity is inherent in the technology; the challenge will be to shape the collaborative approach and
shared concepts of operations. The threats require nothing less.

GETTING ON WITH THE WEAPONS REVOLUTION
Notably with the coming of the F-35 weapons developed by allies for their aircraft are vailable almost as an
app for the U.S. forces. The business case for buying apps rather than launching a long development
program is compelling.

The cases of the Joint Strike Missile and various MBDA missiles developed or being developed for the F-35B
certainly are illustrations of the strategic opportunity.

The Norwegian Deputy Defense Minister on Reshaping Norwegian
Defense: Meeting 21st Century Challenges
Prior to attending the Norwegian Airpower Conference in Trondheim, I was able to meet with Mr. Øystein BØ,
the State Secretary and Deputy Defense Minister at the Norwegian Ministry of Defense to discuss his
perspective on the way ahead for Norway and NATO in the Northern region.

A key point that he underscored was the importance for NATO states to invest in defense and to innovate in
delivering new capabilities.

“Article III is the obligation to have a strong national defense and to be able to be a net contributor to
security.

There is no free ride in NATO, we’ve all got to do our part to be able to defend each other.”

Put bluntly, the situation facing Norway is challenging as the Russians are modernizing and exhibiting a more
assertive and less predictable behavior.

In a conference held in Oslo last year, Norwegian speakers underscored their concern with the need to take
Arctic security and defense seriously.

“A strong NATO presence in the North is in the US’ and Norway’s interest”, said Øystein Bø, State Secretary of
the Norwegian Ministry of Defense at the event.
Bø specifically pointed to the new security environment in Europe after Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and the
increasing human activity in the Arctic. Norway has for a long time pushed to strengthen NATO’s maritime
capabilities, especially in the North Atlantic.

Second Line of Defense

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