The conference is part of the Arctic Defense research project at the Norwegian Defence University College and hosted at the campus of UiT in Breivika, Tromsø. Presentations will include findings from a forthcoming research anthology on NATO's northern flank to be published in the autumn of 2023.

All presentations and debates will be held in English. We welcome both in-person and online participants. Download program as PDF.

Conference program

Part 1 – Auditorium and streaming

09:00 - 09:10 Opening of the Conference

Dag Rune Olsen, Rector at the University of Tromsø (UiT)

Presentation of research project leader group: Njord Wegge (Norwegian Defense University College, NDUC), Stian Bones (UiT), Lon Strauss (Marine Corps University, MCU) and Steinar Torset (NDUC).

09:10  - 09:25 Defending NATO’s northern flank: power projection and operations

Lon Strauss, Associate Professor, Marine Corps University (MCU) and Njord Wegge, Professor, NDUC.

09:25 – 10:30 Security, power-projection and operations on NATO’s northern flank

National Security Interests of Russia’s Northern Sea Route: Additional Elements of Domestic and International Importance. Troy J. Bouffard (Digitally), Director, Center for Arctic Security and Resilience, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The Russian Way of Regular Warfare and the Arctic. Amund Osflaten (Digitally), Ph.D. Candidate, NDUC.

A Defense Dilemma and a possible Security Dilemma. Norway, the United States, and the Defense of Northern Norway, 1960–1980. Stian Bones, Professor, UiT.

NATO, doctrines, and the Arctic. LtCol. Palle Ydstebø, Ph.D., NDUC.

Moderators: Ingrid Kongshaug Johannesen (University of Oslo) and Amund Trellevik, Journalist.

10:30 – 10:45 Arctic Security in a Time of Change. Where do Norway and the Nordic States Go From Here

Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, Member of Parliament (Norway), Chair of The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense; former Minister of Foreign Affairs 2012-2021 and Minister of Defense 2013-2017.

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:15 Strategic interests and the Arctic

U.S. National Strategy in the Arctic. David Auerswald, Professor, U.S. National War College.

Integrated Naval Deterrence in the Arctic. Deterring Russian Aggression through US-Norwegian Cooperation. RAdm. Lars Saunes (R) (Digitally), U.S. Naval War College.

Operationalizing Joint Force Capabilities and Priorities for Growing Problem Sets in the Arctic Region. Ryan Burke, Professor, U.S. Air Force Academy and Jahara Matisek, Professor, US Naval War College.

Special Operations Forces in the Arctic – From Heroes to Zeroes? Marius Kristiansen, Ph.D., Norwegian Armed Forces and Leo Blanken, Associate Professor, US Naval Postgraduate School.

Moderators: Ingrid Kongshaug Johannesen and Amund Trellevik

12:15 – 13:15 Lunch

13:15 – 14:30 NATO’s Northern Flank States

Norway’s Strategic Role and Interests at NATO’s Northern Flank, Finding a New Balance? Joachim Bentzen, Researcher, Institute of Defense Studies.

Finnish and Swedish NATO Membership: What Does it Hold for the Arctic? Hanna Ojanen (Digitally), Professor, Tampere University and Arto Väisänen, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Oslo.

A Kingdom Divided Against Itself: The Kingdom of Denmark and the Rise of Arctic Security Dynamics. Liselotte Odgaard, Professor, Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies.

Moderators: Ingrid Kongshaug Johannesen and Amund Trellevik

14:30 – 14:45 Break

Part 2 – Parallel panels, no streaming

14:45 – 15:45 Panel session 1

1A: NATO’s Northern Flank and Innovation (Room B-1005)

What capabilities will the United States, and its allies, need to fight and win in the Arctic. LtCdr. Jeremy McKenzie, USCG (R) Former Researcher, USCGA Center for Arctic Study and Policy (with Col. Chad M. Pillai, US Army Europe & Maj. Ryan R. Duffy, US Army Europe).

Multi Domain Operations and the Norwegian Army. Lt. Zoulika Løken-Gheziel, Norwegian Armed Forces.

"Escalation or Stability? The Geopolitical Effects of Deploying NATO Hypersonic Weapons in the Arctic". Brian Cole, Assistant Professor, National Defense University (NDU), The Eisenhower School.

Moderator: Steinar Torset (NDUC)

1B: Sweden and Finland as NATO members – Changes in Nordic Defense Planning (Room B-1004)

Nordic security cooperation after NATO enlargement: opportunities and limitations. Karsten Friis, Research Professor, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

NATO’s New Posture in Northern Europe – what can Sweden provide? Håkan Edström, Associate Professor, Swedish Defense University.

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in the Nordic/Baltic region. Sean Monaghan (Digitally), U.K. Visiting Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Moderator: Rasmus Bertelsen (UiT)

1C: Strategic Great Power Competition (Room B-1003)

Legal aspects of defending forward in the digital domain. Ingvild Bruce, Associate Professor (Digitally), The Norwegian Police University College.

NATO grand strategy. Charlotte Hulme, Assistant Professor, United States Military Academy.

U.S. Coast Guard and the Future Arctic. Tony Russell, Executive Director, Center for Arctic Study and Policy at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Moderator: Lisa Aronsson (NDU)

15:45 – 16:00 Break

16:00 – 17:00 Panel session 2

2A: Evolution in Russian and NATO’s Military Capabilities (Room B-1005)

Future Marine Corps support to NATO's Northern flank. Maj. Louis Kalmar, Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa (MARFOREUR/AF).

Special Forces in the Arctic. 2Lt. Susanne Blydt Paulsen, Norwegian Armed Forces.

Is Russia’s Bastion defense concept relevant for Norwegian defense planning in Finnmark? Maj. Thomas Brott, NDUC.

Russian nuclear capability and development in the High North. Ian Anthony, Scientist, Swedish Defense Research Agency (SDRA) & Kristina Melin, Analyst, Swedish SDRA.

Moderator: Nils Nordstrand (Norwegian Armed Forces)

 2B: Contested Security in the Arctic (Room B-1003)

Memory diplomacy as security policies: the case of Russia in Norway. Kari Myklebost, Professor, UiT.

Into the Arctic Cold: How Moscow's Assault on World Order Backfired. Beate Steinveg, Associate Professor, Nord University.

NATO and the Arctic: On a road to nowhere? Paal Sigurd Hilde (Digitally or Physically), Professor, NDUC.

Deterrence and Arctic Security: Nebraska Deterrence Lab and MADAM. Michelle Black, Associate Professor, Co-Director, Nebraska Deterrence Lab.

Moderator: Sebastian Langvad (NDUC)

The program is subject to change.