Jan-Olof Lind, Acting Director-General of FOI, sees the Government’s budget proposals as a sign that FOI has struck a chord in its work to show the importance of research to the Armed Forces and to Sweden.

While there is a threat that FOI's research activities might be cut back to enable funds to be reallocated to help pay for Armed Forces operations, the Agency is at same time being asked to do even more, Jan-Olof Lind points out. “The Armed Forces’ demand for our services is so great that we are having to recruit new staff and we are getting more work than we planned from FMV, the Defence Materiel Administration. But in addition our expertise is being sought to an ever increasing extent by municipalities and local authorities. We are also playing an increasingly important role in research for the EU in the field of security, an area in which Sweden’s position is very strong,” he says.

As Jan-Olof Lind sees it, the only possible way ahead for FOI is to continue to deliver as before.
  
“This is because we see that the long-term research we undertake also pays dividends in the shorter term through application of the knowledge gained, for example in peace support operations in Afghanistan and the Gulf of Aden. Our research is also important in the context of international collaboration where it is often of mutual benefit if one has something to give in return for getting something back.

The budget proposals envisage the formation of a new executive committee looking at the future of Swedish defence. Pending any future decision, Jan-Olof Lind will be looking at alternative ways of allowing FOI’s special expertise to live on, including looking at whether it would be possible to transform the Agency into a specialist research institute operated in the form of a state-owned company.

“What is important to me is to preserve the cross-disciplinary expertise that is FOI’s essential strength. But then we must also look at questions such as whether we, as a company, can use the stamp “Government of Sweden” which is so important to us in the context of international collaboration, how we can handle highly classified work, the possibilities for basic financing and whether industry would be interested. We will also be looking at how similar questions have been dealt with in other countries.

As Jan-Olof Lind points out, there are many who have a need for FOI’s services, not just the defence sector. Not least Swedish industry and commerce.

“In our collaboration with trade and industry, our cross-disciplinary way of working is a positive strength. Companies can come to us with a problem and we can then assemble a team which solves the problem. But we face a challenge in marketing ourselves to companies who in many cases believe that all aspects of our defence research are classified. But there are often alternative ways of applying our knowledge and expertise which can be of great benefit to companies,” he adds.

Swedish municipalities, county councils and other authorities should also be able to make better use of FOI’s capabilities, believes Jan-Olof Lind.

“Risk management and management systems are two areas where we have a great deal of expertise, areas in which many municipalities and local authorities are currently doing nothing at all. To purchase services from us is a cost-effective way of dealing with these questions,” he says.

Jan-Olof Lind also envisages a greater international involvement for FOI.

There are many countries who want to collaborate with us, but there are also others who wish to buy our expertise. We also see an even greater future role in the EU Commission’s research programme where we have already been extraordinarily successful.

A Sweden without FOI is something he finds hard to imagine.

“Sweden needs FOI because we are a success factor contributing to the capability of our future defence forces, as well as constituting a source of added value for Swedish industry and for the community at large,” says Jan-Olof Lind.