This report is written within FOI´s project "Peace Support Operations" which is commissioned by the Swedish Ministry of Defence. The purpose of the study is to generate knowledge and understanding of some of the challenges highlighted in the report amongs policy-makers. The report maps the various activities that have been contracted from private compannies in a range of international operations, and studies the incentives to conduct such contracting. To better understand the risks and opportunities associated with contracting support to overseas deployment, the report emphasises the importance of categorising these companies in relation to the contracting party´s own organisation and activities (i.e. the armed forces). The report highlights three areas that pose particularly important challenges to contracting: international law;division of responsibilities in terms of the contractor´s safety and security; and maintaining the force´s capability to conduct the operation. An important conclusion drawn in the report is that Sweden and the Swedish Armed Forces lacs the needed frameworks for managing the risks associated with contracting support to operations. This includes political guidance on what and how much should be outsourced, as well as the suitability of outsourcing services that according to international law could fall into the category of "direct participation of hostilities".