US EUCOM and the Arctic

I have been an absent contributor for a while.  Sadly, this post does not change that, although I am working on a few posts to be up in a few weeks.  In the meantime, this is a brief podcast from an interview of a few weeks back where I discuss US European Command's cooperative efforts in the Arctic.

The views expressed herein are those of the blogger and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Commandant or of the U.S. Coast Guard. Nor should they be construed as official or reflecting the views of the U.S. European Command, or the Department of Defense.

The Future Of The Norwegian Submarine Force

Just as any other Western country at the moment, the Norwegians are conducting a defence review.
Their most recent study is into the submarine force. The Ula-class submarines are expected to be end-of-life in 2020.

And like anyone would expect, the first conclusion of the study was that nothing but a submarine can replace a submarine.

In the study, three different options for a  future submarine capability have been assessed:

1. No investment. This means no more Norwegian submarine capabilities after 2020.

2. Keep a submarine force. This may involve several solutions, including extending the life of the current Ula-class, or acquisition of new submarines.

3. Alternatives for submarines. The alternative is existing and new equipment in the military that together can fulfill the tasks the submarines are currently performing. Think increased weapon and sensor outfits and a higher availability of platforms.

The study concludes that option 2 seems to be the best solution to meet requirements after 2020.

The government has decided they want continuation of the submarine force after 2020.
The next decision to be made is the choice between life extension for the existing Ula-class submarines and the acquisition of new submarines, or a combination of these two.

Expect a preliminary decision in 2014 at the earliest and a final one in 2017.