After staying for four years in the post of the Minister of defence representative of the party the Hare (“Right”) Ine Eriksen Sereide (Ine Eriksen Søreide) leaves the Norwegian armed forces in a state more adapted to the world than before. Plans to upgrade military strength was the last Chapter.
The threat from Russia is forcing the armed forces to think in new ways. In the Long-term plan presented a year ago, major new investments were allocated to anti-submarine warfare and exploration in our part of the Atlantic ocean. The report on the status of the military power of the country, prepared under the leadership of Brigadier General Arild Brandvik (Arild Brandvik), it is assumed that the striking power of the armed forces moved from the East of Norway in the Northern Norway, mainly in Finnmark. Plans for the creation of the brand new battalion in Finnmark, which will have to monitor goal lines, separating from the enemy, and behind them, and carry heavy fire with missiles and other precision weapons, means of a powerful escalation of arms in the province, which is closest to Russia.
Finnmark becomes a province where any Russian aggression will be brought to the scale of the war and thus lead to the use of NATO’s Fifth article. Then we can expect the arrival of reinforcements from the allies (read: Americans).
What firepower and troops moved in Finnmark, is no coincidence. The only scenario that actually imagine in case of a possible Russian attack on Norway, lies in the fact that the Russian will want to increase the ring of defense around their strategic nuclear weapons on the Kola Peninsula. If any conflict in any part of the world will lead to the fact that Russia will feel that it would require such a depth, it will have to occupy part of Finnmark and try to close part of the North Atlantic.
In case of such an attack, which can be very limited, Norway — by using the weapon of distant radius of action — try to put forward so many losses, including manpower, that all this can quickly turn into a war. The idea is to defeat the enemy in a classic battle refused to do this, the Norwegian army is simply too small compared to the much more superior forces of the Russians.
However, it was decided to retain the current team. These more traditional units must be used for retention of important areas, especially those where there will be parachute reinforcements from the allies.
Brandwise and his colleagues managed to combine two points of view on military strength, which was quite difficult to reconcile. Namely, the traditionalists, swear allegiance to the mechanized brigades, and of those some contemptuously referred to as “disciples Diena” on behalf of the former commander of the armed forces of the country, advocated for the creation of more lung units, which could cause a fire fighting aircraft, ships or other platforms.
Background the authors of the report seem reasonable. It is based on the same analysis of the security policy on which to build a Long-term plan. The threat comes from Russia, and the defense of Norway is entirely based on our membership in NATO. Military power of the country aims to give the war the acceleration at an early stage simply to make impossible for the Russian attack on Norway, while not unleashing a war with NATO and especially with USA. In addition, the possibility is created to protect important areas.
Currently, the army should continue to participate in numerous international operations involving Norway. The demand for Norwegian participation may be particularly high in Afghanistan but also in Iraq, Syria and countries on the Eastern flank of NATO. If one of the two professional mouth in the battalion “Telemark” was disbanded, the emphasis is on what to help solve the problem of contractors. The task can be challenging.
The weakness of the Long-term plan in its current form is in politics. Most of the plans relating to the armed forces of Norway, accepted without having to take care of a sufficient budget for their implementation. The reason for this is that most Norwegian politicians dealing with issues of defense, thinking only locally and did not take into account the wider perspective. Therefore, no one unit could not be disbanded or moved without having to it caused a lot of noise.
If we don’t regroup and change the priorities, plans Brandika to implement will be difficult. But to convince of the correctness of some of them will also be difficult. For example: are young boys and girls who would like to see the military service to serve 16 months? And then to commit themselves to participate annually in a three-week maneuvers and show lightning fast readiness for several years after that? I’m not so sure.
It is also likely that will raise the noise and local policies of Rena (Rena) and in Hedmark (Hedmark), when they disappear a number of jobs. All with a magnifying glass will discover negative consequences for their regions or their part of the business and to fight against change. It is unknown whether the new Minister of defence, or perhaps the new government to resist.
The most important in the plan, however, is the new battalion in Lakselv (Lakselv), which will be posted in the garrison of Porsanger (Porsanger). This part of the plan needs to be implemented. The battalion will be able to become a unit that for a long time in the future will be to specify the direction of the development of military power.
