Operational analyst Anna-Lena Berg is on loan to Armed Forces working on, among other things, the further development of traceability in armed forces planning. Providing support to the authorities, public sector bodies, industry and commerce in the areas of methods and analysis is a growing field of activity within FOI.
In 2005 the Swedish Armed Forces decided to work with what they call traceability in their planning. In the context of defence planning this can be regarded as being akin to lean production in industry. The customer, in this case the Riksdag and the Government, set out a number of objectives that they wanted the Armed Forces to meet. In the interests of optimum cost-effectiveness, it is important that measures yielding customer benefit – in terms of achieving the objectives set out – should be given priority. Conversely, all activities that do not contribute to the achievement of the objectives should be dropped.

Four years on, Anna-Lena Berg can confirm that defence planning is now in part being discussed in new terms.

“This means, for example, that in the Armed Forces one no longer talks in terms of the number of submarines or guns but in terms of how an objective can best be achieved, for example how hostile vessels can be prevented from reaching the Swedish coast.

FOI’s wide appeal lies in its breadth of expertise
FOI’s Defence Analysis Division today provides method and analysis support to a far wider range of clients than just the Swedish Armed Forces. The Division’s research staff are sought after by government ministries and other authorities, local authorities and county councils as well as by industry and commerce.

“Sometimes we are seconded to work with those we are helping and we then become a part of their organisation. And sometimes we are only called in on a temporary basis when required. For example we are often called in as experts for the risk and vulnerability analyses carried out by local authorities and other public sector bodies,” Anna-Lena Berg explains.

The work done by FOI’s experts often consists of developing alternatives for the decision makers and of devising methods for evaluating these alternatives.
“In addition we often take on the role of independent examiners, which enables us to pose those slightly inconvenient questions,” says Anna-Lena Berg.

She herself believes that FOI’s strength lies in the breadth of its expertise.
“Because collectively we come from a multitude of different backgrounds, we can almost always find the special knowledge that we need in house.

Country girl with a love of music
Anna-Lena Berg grew up in Gagnef in the heart of Dalarna with its rivers, woods and valleys and a long tradition of music, arts and crafts. She gained her MSc in engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm in 1998, specialising in highway and hydro engineering technology. She joined FOA, later to become FOI, in spring 1999, tempted by an advertisement seeking to attract people who wanted to improve the quality of decision making.

The defence planning with which she is currently involved is conducted with a ten-year perspective. But at the time of this interview, Anna-Lena Berg is working on the data forming the basis for the Government’s decision making in connection with the 2011 defence budget, but which will also help to point the way ahead for 2012 and 2013. This material, once it has been approved by the Supreme Commander, will be submitted to the Government in late February - early March 2010. This is a particularly difficult task because there are so many uncertainty factors.

Just now, the effects of the parliamentary committee’s review of compulsory national service are one of these uncertainty factors. Major developments outside Sweden’s borders can also affect the planning assumptions. The war in Georgia and what is happening in Afghanistan can affect the debate as to whether the Armed Forces should, for example, be equipped with other vehicles. Then there are the parliamentary elections due in 2010; any change of government can entail changed requirements for the Swedish Armed Forces.