Are you curious about what the Norwegian Armed Forces are up to in their laboratories, working on new technologies? If so, make a note of the name NOBLE, the unit that experiments with future war-fighting capabilities. NOBLE will shortly be holding a symposium where business and science can rub shoulders.

By Jahn Rønne (Norwegian Defence Media Centre)

Network-based defence is a concept of conducting military operations by using Information Technology to network military capabilities. (Graphic: NOBLE)

This November, Norwegian Battle Lab and Experimentation (NOBLE) will be hosting Norwegian businessmen at a two-day brain-storming session where they can meet experts working on the Eurofighter and Joint Strike Fighter projects. "It`s sort of a closed trade fair, " say Major Geir Mathisen and Captain Eirik Ludvigsen, who both work in NOBLE laboratories, ýbut other interested people can register as well."

One of the aims is to make it easier for Norwegian high-tech firms to strengthen their contacts with the Forces. At the same time, it will provide the Forces with a chance to become more familiar with the opportunities represented by small and medium high-tech companies in Norway, of which there are many, NOBLE also hopes for a lot of positive contributions and ideas from people attending from outside the country.

Major Geir Mathisen and Captain Eirik Ludvigsen are two of Norway`s nine permanent project officers working on future defence and war-fighting. (Photo: Torbjørn Kjosvold (NDMC))
First with the latest
The advantage of working more closely with Norwegian civilian firms is that the very latest advances in technology can be incorporated more quickly than is the case today.
"It often takes the Forces up to seven years to develop equipment before it can be introduced. Now we can see an end to all that," the officers say. They are serving in Bodø, where NOBLE is based.
"Alongside what is being developed in terms of precision-guided weapons and networked defence, the Forces will be able to take on board new advances in electronics and other technologies that are just coming on to the market. And weýre talking about full-scale, cross-service cooperation here."

The total picture
Networked defence means information gathering and dissemination using a vast array of radars, sensors and cameras. Many can already be found today aboard ships or aircraft, the researchers explain. But much of the information they produce isnýt used as fully yet as it could be.
"You need information flow," they explain further, " but within a secure network. In the future, a commander will have access to all the information he needs to form a total picture of the assets he is responsible for ý and that will be a picture of everything happening right now. This might mean seeing the location of aircraft, ships and land units all at the same time."

Here to stay
NOBLE was set up initially on an experimental basis, and was most closely tied to technical development for the Air Force. On 1 January this year, however, it was established on a permanent basis, and nine positions were created for it on 1 August. Since then it has been working on joint operational projects.
ýWe now have no fewer than ten main projects going,ý Mathisen and Ludvigsen tell us. NOBLE is not involved in research, they explain, but in experimental work.

In this way, it is not in competition with, but acts as a complement to, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment. In the European context, Norway was out of the gate early in setting up a battle lab, but here in Scandinavia the Swedes are way ahead, and Norway is farthest behind in getting sensors out on the land side. The plan is to develop a solution quickly so that land information on positions and movements can help generate a joint operational picture. Photo captions: