According to what news knows, the chief of defense wants to increase the allocations by NOK 8 billion every year from 2025 to 2031. The sum appears in the latest draft of the Professional Military Council from 10 May, which news has gained access to. The Chief of Defense presents his final advice at a press conference on 7 June. – Russia is the foremost threat to Norway and Norwegian interests. The attack on Ukraine is a division of time, the document says. REQUIRE MORE: Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen believes that allocations to the Armed Forces should be greatly increased in the coming years. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news The Professional Military Council is a collection of recommendations from the Defense’s top management to the government. It forms the basis for the new long-term plan for the Norwegian Armed Forces from 2024 to 2027 and will be received by Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp). – Lack of expertise and people If Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen gets his way, it will be necessary to spend around NOK 8 billion extra, compared to the current long-term plan, every year from 2025 to 2031 inclusive. That is roughly twice as much as the government has basically said that it will take until 2026 to reach the NATO goal of spending 2 percent of the gross domestic product on defense purposes. In addition, Kristoffersen assumes that extra money will be allocated beyond this to buy back ammunition and material that Norway has given to Ukraine. The Chief of Defense says Norway will contribute as long as there is a need, but that the donations “strengthen the resulting imbalance” in the Armed Forces. – The armed forces currently lack personnel and expertise. The deficiencies will lead to significant challenges by 2028 if measures are not taken, says the document that news has been able to see. Soldiers on exercise in Gratangen in Troms. Photo: Helene Sofie Thorkildsen / The Armed Forces Wish list The Chief of Defense’s wish list will primarily be to remedy weaknesses and make the Defense we have today work. This alone will cost up to NOK 80 billion by 2028. This is how the chief of defense will otherwise prioritize his wish list: Renew surface vessels. Buy at least four and preferably six new frigates and up to 20 large and small standard vessels. More air defenses to protect Norway against air threats. Strengthen your ability to inflict damage on an opponent by investing in more long-range precision weapons. Increase the volume of the armed forces: More personnel. More material. The Chief of Defense requests that maritime surface vessels, such as the new frigates, must be financed in whole or in part through additional appropriations. Ideally, he wants six new frigates and 16 small and large so-called standard ships. These are ships that take part in mine clearance, transport missiles or take part in monitoring sea areas. In his professional military council, the chief of defense also advocates a new brigade to defend Eastern Norway, a brigade in the south. Norway currently has a brigade stationed in Bardufoss. The chief of defense also writes about a worrying development in Russia where surprise and rapid displacement will be lessons the Russians take with them from Ukraine. More air defense On the defense chief’s wish list is also more air defense. Norway lacks air defenses to protect military targets and civil society functions at the same time, according to the draft to which news has been given access. – A possible Russian attack against Norway will probably seek to engage military and socially critical targets throughout the country in an attempt to weaken both our will to resist and our military capability, the document states. When the Defense Commission presented its report on the state of the Armed Forces this spring, it painted a gloomy picture. It asked for NOK 30 billion immediately to strengthen the Armed Forces. In addition, the commission would have an escalation plan of NOK 40 billion every year for the next ten years. Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp), who received the report from the Defense Commission on 3 May, told news that there is no doubt that Norway must use more of the community’s resources on defense and security. Measures against bullying and harassment In this year’s edition of the Chief of Defence’s professional military advice, there is also a separate section on measures against sexual harassment and bullying. The Chief of Defense himself points out that the Defence’s handling of whistle-blowing cases has received “strong criticism in the media over the past year”. The Chief of Defense refers to investigations from 2018, 2020 and 2022 which show that several of the Armed Forces’ employees and soldiers in the initial service are exposed to bullying and sexual harassment. The professional military council states that the Armed Forces will prepare a strategy for the development of the military profession. This effort must also be directed at three areas: system, management and culture in order to overcome lack of culture.
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Here is the chief of defense’s wish list – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
