Fast-tracking development of military high technology - A study of the Norwegian Triaxial Model

Abstract

Norwegian authorities want to make sure the Norwegian Armed Forces get access to the best possible technological solutions catering to their operational requirements, maintain and advance Norwegian industrial capabilities in important technological areas, and keep Norwegian defence industry internationally competitive. To support these ambitions, they have developed the Norwegian Triaxial Model, a framework for innovation cooperation between the Armed Forces, the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and industry actors. This study researches how the Norwegian Triaxial Model performs in practice, when new defence systems are developed based on available high technology. The theoretical framework belongs to the technological innovation systems approach, where central processes, or functions, within the system are analysed in order to understand exactly what goes on within the system and how well each function is currently fulfilling its role in supporting innovative activity. The method applied is qualitative case study, using interviews as the primary tool for data collection, and the research questions are: • How do the actors “play their part”; what are the different actors’ roles and contributions to innovation in this version of the Norwegian Triaxial Model? • Which drivers positively contribute to innovation and which barriers hamper progress for innovation in this version of the Norwegian Triaxial Model? • What can be done to improve this version of the Norwegian Triaxial Model? The theoretical and empirical findings in this study contribute to a better understanding of actors, roles and processes in the current version of the Norwegian Triaxial Model, and its contribution to innovation in the military domain. The conclusion also presents central drivers that promote innovation in the system, central barriers that can hamper innovation, and suggest some measures that could possibly be beneficial for improved performance of the Norwegian Triaxial Model in the future.