Norway Plans Historic Defence Spending Increase

In addition to the F-35 fighter, Norway’s new defense plan recommends buying four new submarines, replacing the Maritime Patrol Aircraft and significantly improving medium-range and long-range air defenses. (Norway MoD photo)

The Norwegian Government today presented a white paper to Parliament describing the Long Term Plan for the Norwegian Armed Forces for the years 2017-2020. The Government recommends a gradual increase in the defence budget over the course of the coming four years to a 2020-level NOK 7.2 billion above 2016-levels, and that over the coming 20 years will see an accumulated total of NOK 165 billion in additional funding for the Norwegian Armed Forces.

“We are looking to strengthen short-term readiness, to invest in future capabilities and to create real long term sustainability. We have to ensure that we, along with our allies, have the means to present a credible deterrent against the use of force. This plan enables us to do just that,” says Norwegian Minister of Defence, Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide.

Among several measures, the Long Term Plan proposes a series of investments in capabilities of strategic importance that will focus on improving intelligence, situational awareness, survivability and the striking power of the Norwegian Armed Forces. In addition to completing the acquisition of the F-35 Lightning II, the plan recommends an acquisition of four new submarines, to replace the current fleet, replacement of Norway's Maritime Patrol Aircraft, as well as significant investments in modern air defence systems.

The latter will both see the introduction of longer range weapons to Norway's current NASAMS II-system, as well as the acquisition of dedicated long range air-defence systems to protect critical areas.

“Over the past few years the security situation in Europe has deteriorated, reminding us that we cannot take our sovereignty, our rights and our freedoms for granted. This rapid change has also reminded us of another fact, which is that it is too late to prepare for a crisis once it is here. We need to make the right decisions and investments today in order to ensure that we have the capability we need to meet any future threat,” says Ms. Eriksen Søreide.

For the first time the Long Term Plan also incorporates the cost growth of military equipment above and beyond regular inflation as an integral part of its financial planning.

“While every new generation of equipment and technology allows us to do much more than the previous one, that added capability comes at a price. We can no longer accommodate that trend simply by buying fewer platforms or by internal efficiency savings. We cannot have security without sustainability. This plan aims to provide both,” says Norwegian Minister of Defence, Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide.

The Long Term Plan has now been presented to Parliament, which will consider it after the summer recess

Click here for a presentation of the Long Term Plan (20 PDF pages) on the Norway MoD website.

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