A proposal for a Norwegian Defence Conceptual Framework - a paper presented at the 25th ISMOR in Hampshire, UK, 25-29 August 2008

In Norway concept development has been living its own life within the Norwegian Defence community, without formalized linkages to the overall capability development process. The increased emphasis on so-called concept-led capability-based development within NATO and a long list of nations has led to an increased focus on concept development also in Norway. A FFI project1 was initiated by Norwegian Ministry of Defence in 2006, in recognition of the fact that concept development is and will be an important contribution also for the transformation of Norwegian Defence. The main aspect of this study is the small nation perspective on concept development and how this should be related to the long-term defence planning process. The Norwegian Defence Concept Framework (NDCF) is proposed by FFI to explain the hierarchy of (developmental) concepts to the Defence community in Norway and establish a link between concepts and capabilities. This common framework allows for consistency and informed participation in concept development potentially by a large number of stakeholders. This paper relates NDCF to a generic enterprise activity life-cycle model, called a model for capability development, where concept development is included as one of the main processes. The descriptions of the main processes in this model constitute the basis for discussing the interfaces and coherence between concept development, long-term planning and acquisition and procurement of defence material. The model is also used in order to express how the Defence communities secure that new concepts are developed according to Best Practices identified through the Lessons Learned process.