Sustainability in the Military Context-Selected findings from Major Defense Projects

The defense sector is a major player globally, and its investments in new materiel and facilities constitute a substantial part of
government spending as well as emissions. The defense sector is increasingly subject to a demand for taking societal responsibility
through incorporating sustainability measures in its management of projects. At the same time, there is limited research on
sustainability and project management with data from the defense sector.The main objective of this short paper is to increase
understanding of how agents work with sustainability in defense projects. We therefore present selected findings from a recent
study on sustainability in the Norwegian defense sector. We conducted 12 semi-structured interviews with 24 actors within major
projects in the defense sector in Norway. The actors represent the different stakeholders in the projects, from the Ministry of
Defense, the project manager, the user- perspective from the NorwegianArmed Forces, as well as the industry perspective from
the largest contractors. Data was transcribed and coded using the analytic tool Nvivo for qualitative data. Our analysis shows mixed
willingness in the defense sector to adopt sustainable changes due to resource, expertise, and security concerns. Despite recognizing
sustainability’s importance, action is limited bydifferentconstraints. The tension between security and sustainability, risk-averse
culture, and career implications are key challenges. A stakeholder-focused approach is needed to balance sustainability with
operational priorities, making it a strategic yet complex challengetoachieve change.