The new Nordic defense co-operation arrangement, NORDSUP, held its first meeting in Helsinki on Tuesday.
The objective of the co-operation is to secure national opportunities in maintaining and developing operational capabilities in all areas that promote cost-efficiency, the Finnish Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The Nordic Supportive Defence Structures, NORDSUP, arrangement is based on the report drawn up from an initiative by the Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian chiefs of Defence. In June 2008 the report was handed over to the defense ministers. In November Denmark and Iceland joined the arrangement as all five Nordic Defence Ministers signed the NORDSUP Memorandum of Understanding.
In the first NORDSUP Steering Committee meeting in Helsinki the Terms of Reference for the co-operation was approved and the Coordination Group was established for the implementation of the co-operation, the statement said.
The Steering Committee also tasked the Coordination Group to launch co-operation during the year 2009 in 48 different areas that involve projects in land forces, naval forces, air force, personnel and education, material development and procurement, logistics and research and development.
NORDSUP completes the long-term Nordic defense co-operation into a comprehensive architecture that covers not only armaments and crisis management activities but also extensive development of capabilities.