Effektforbedring materiell: Definisjoner og innretning - Hva den nye avsetningen i forsvarsbudsjettet er ment å brukes til, og hvordan den kan innrettes i praksis

In order for the Armed Forces to be able to fulfill a political ambition, they have to solve their tasks at least as well as previous years. In other words, the Armed Forces must produce the same level of security over time. Unless there are significant changes to the way forces are utilized, fighter aircraft, infantry vehicles and ships must produce the same effect relative to the weapon systems a potential adversary possesses. If the adversaries upgrade their weapon systems, the Armed Forces must maintain their weapon systems in order to maintain relative effect. The increases in costs caused by these dynamics are not necessarily unique to the Armed Forces, but they are particularly pronounced here. The Armed Forces are, through the national budget, compensated for wage and price growth, but not for increasing costs necessary to produce a constant relative effect. The difference between the wage and price compensation and these cost increases are called observed cost growth (erfart kostnadsvekst). Starting from the national budget of 2017, the Armed Forces is provided a sum of money to cover what is known as improved effect of equipment (effektforbedring materiell). Improved effect of equipment is the increase in costs necessary to maintain the relative effect of equipment. Increasing prices are not included. Therefore, fuel price increases are not covered, while increased fuel consumption, due to more flight hours needed to maintain relative effect, is. The appropriations explicitly stated in the budget are, at least for the time being, only meant to cover increasing operating costs. There are several forms of increases in operating costs. In this report, we distinguish between increases in operating costs caused by updates during the lifespan of a weapon system, and a onetime increase caused by major investments. It is not a given that the appropriations for improved effect of equipment is meant to cover them both. The various management units of the Norwegian Armed Forces have a responsibility of reporting expected improved effect of equipment. They have a responsibility of substantiating that the increases they claim to be improved effect of equipment are indeed that, and not increasing prices or improvements in relative effect. After reporting, the Defence Staff coordinates and prioritize the reported needs. During this process, it is important that the management units and the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Staff reach a mutual understanding of what improved effect of equipment is, and how to report it. This report is a contribution to this mutual understanding.