Secretary General Rasmussen's Visit to Norway and NATO's role in the Arctic

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is due to arrive in Northern Norway today along with other high ranking NATO officials such NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow. In connection with the visit there will be a debate at the University of Tromsø on NATO's role in the future hosted by the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide; a discussion which will presumably incorporate the question of its role in High North. Rasmussen will also inspect the Norwegian Joint Headquarters which are located about a kilometer inside a mountain complex at Reitan near Bodø. He will also receive a demonstration of the reaction times of Norwegian F-16s to airborne threats.

The visit could be interpreted as positive sign for Norway that its wishes for greater NATO attention towards the High North to counterbalance rising Russian power in the region are being listened to and that the alliance is become increasing aware of potential threats in their near abroad.. The Secretary General's tour of the High North comes after recent criticism of the combat readiness of Norwegian forces, particularly in the event of high-intensity conflicts, by former head of the Norwegian Defence Research Institute (FFI) Nils Holme. He characterised Norway's Armed Forces in the following way:

1. Its air force has only 15 F-16s (of a total inventory of 50) available for missions at any given time.
2. Its navy lacks the requisite manpower to give it vessels a full complement as well as the necessary maintenance crews.
3. Its army  is only ready for action during certain times of the year and lacks the transport capacity to move to the most units to most vulnerable territories which are the coasts of Nord Troms and Finnmark. 
4. Its Army reserve lacks funds to equip its soldiers properly or to train officers to lead them. 

Although it is difficult to gauge precisely the combat readiness of a military power without the necessary security clearance, such criticism will likely be examined closely owing to the impeccable credentials of the individual who has submitted them. If such assessments are indeed accurate, Norway may need its NATO allies in the High North more than ever.