Faster procurements – lessons from three Norwegian defence projects

The Norwegian Long-term Defence Plan outlines a large increase in defence spending and investment. As a result of the war in Ukraine and rising geopolitical tensions, the Norwegian Armed Forces aim to procure significant amounts of armaments rapidly.
Historically, military acquisitions in the Norwegian defence sector have tended to be delayed. However, several projects do deliver on time. To realise the ambitious program posed by the Long-term Defence Plan, it is beneficial to study what characterises these projects and to see what we can learn from them. In this report, we explore these questions.
We carry out three case studies of expeditiously conducted defence projects. We analyse in-depth interviews and project documentation and conduct a cross-case analysis where we contextualise our findings with previous research.
We identify some key factors for faster procurement. Competition seems to have allowed projects to choose suppliers with shorter lead times. Requirement moderation has allowed for a broader competition and off-the-shelf procurements. It has also reduced time spent on development. Finally, maintaining continuity within project teams have contributed to efficient project execution.
Based on our findings, we give four recommendations for how the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) and the defence sector in general can achieve faster procurement. They are:
1. As a rule, the sector should consider competition as a means of reducing procurement timelines.
2. The NDMA should strive for continuity within project teams and ensure that institutional knowledge is retained when continuity is disrupted.
3. The NDMA and the sector should focus efforts to moderate requirements to reduce time to delivery.
4. Project dialogue between the Defence Staff and the NDMA should include clear directions for what prioritising time entails.