Trilateral defence cooperation in the North: an assessment of interoperability between Norway, Sweden and Finland. Issue 3 (3rd July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Møller, Joakim Erma
• Is Part Of: Defence studies. Volume 19:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 235
• Page End: 256
• Publication Date: 2019-07-03
• Subjects: Interoperability -- defence cooperation -- Norway -- Sweden -- Finland -- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) -- Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO); Military policy -- Periodicals; International relations -- Periodicals; National security -- Periodicals; Defensive (Military science) -- Periodicals; 355.0305
• DOI: 10.1080/14702436.2019.1634473
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-2436

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Norway, Sweden and Finland have proclaimed a willingness to cooperate militarily in a future crisis or conflict despite their diverging alliance affiliation. This article assesses their ability to do so through various elements affecting their interoperability, with Arctic Challenge, a multinational military exercise, as an empirical basis. The analysis finds that the NATO/non-NATO-divide has a negative impact on the trilateral defence cooperation, especially on exchange of information and aspects related to command and control. At the same time, Finland and Sweden have become largely NATO-standardized through their active partnership with the Alliance. This has affected interoperability aspects, such as communication, culture, and the compatibility of technical solutions, in a positive manner. Through agreements with the Alliance, as well as domestic legal changes, the two NATO-partners have facilitated receiving military assistance from Norway and other NATO-members during a crisis. Other agreements between the Nordic countries, however, have been limited to peacetime.