Page 14 - Norwegian Special Report

Reshaping Norwegian Defense

The integration challenge as seen by Norway, Australia and the Brits is the central one – simply following a
platform additive path will not get them where they need to go – which is extended defense of the homeland.
For the Norwegian air, naval and army speakers, force integration was a key theme.

For the Navy, the surface and modernizing subsurface fleet clearly had opportunities to leverage both of the
new air platforms coming to the force. Clearly, one such capability is the off boarding of weapons whereby
the F-35 can call on joint fires from the ground or sea to generate integrated firepower. For Norway, the
integration of Aegis with F-35 is clearly an opportunity and they will work closely with the USN on this
strategic challenge and opportunity.

http://www.sldinfo.com/pacific-strategy-vii-“aegis-is-my-wingman”/

http://www.usni.org/document/laird-robbin-2012-138-1-1307pdf?magazine_article=9450
For the Norwegian Army, much like for the Australian Army, the F-35 is seen as a key asset to support the
ground maneuver force. And for the Norwegian Army, senior leadership sees the opportunities inherent in
vehicle modernization to shape a more integrated digital ground maneuver force, which can provide
situational awareness to the air force as well with regard to targets of interest in a fluid battlespace.
http://www.sldinfo.com/the-australian-army-modernizes-for-the-21st-century-battlespace-an-interview-with-
brigadier-general-chris-mills-australian-army/

http://www.sldinfo.com/an-update-on-air-sea-land-integration-for-the-adf-the-perspective-of-brigadier-
general-mills/

For the Air Force, the shaping of the infrastructure of the F-35 and the coming of the F-35 to Norway later this
year are major strategic challenges and opportunities. It was clear from presentations that the all weather
capability of the F-35 provided by its integrated sensor suite is a key advantage in supporting national
forces in the kinds of conditions in which the Norwegians need to provide for their defense.

It is also the case that the capabilities of the aircraft when properly cross linked can provide for an extended
defense capability simply beyond the capabilities of the current F-16 fleet and one speaker highlighted the
need for the Norwegian Air Force to shape concepts of operations symmetrical with such capabilities.

We have referred to this elsewhere as shaping the offensive defensive enterprise crucial to any deterrence in
depth strategy.
http://www.sldinfo.com/transforming-the-power-projection-forces-for-the-liberal-democracies/

It is clear as well that the fact that core allies of Norway in the region whether the Brits, the Danes, the Dutch
or the Americans flying the same aircraft will allow for a much greater interoperability capability. And the
fact that Britain and Norway will both fly the P-8 and leverage Lossiemouth as well provides new
opportunities as well.

According to one senior Norwegian official, although integration is challenging, the new equipment can
provide greater opportunities to build in integration from the ground up. Joint training at Luke for the F-35,
flying with F-35s from Marham, the Queen Elizabeth with the USAF from Lakenheath (25 miles from Marham),
from Denmark and Holland, allow for a Red Flag kind of training as these common aircraft work together.

The USN-USMC working through its own integration of P-8/Triton with F-35 can provide an important asset as
well for Norway’s own efforts.

Second Line of Defense

Page 13