Interview with Dr Jan Joel Andersson, Senior Analyst, European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Paris
The European: Mr Andersson, as a Senior Analyst at the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) in Paris, you have been working on the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) over many years and you have analysed the European armament and defence industrial cooperation. The full-scale invasion of Russian forces into Ukraine was a turning point, where the common rearmament of European military forces, after two decades of underinvestment, has become a political wish and necessity. What are the arguments for buying weapons together and are there valid arguments against?
Jan Joel Andersson: The most common arguments for buying together are lower costs due to shared Research and Development (R&D) and economies of scale in production but there also arguments for increased operational efficiency by having the same types of equipment. However, defence is a national responsibility and there are many reasons for national acquisition.
The European: What are those other reasons?
Jan Joel Andersson: There can be different geographic imperatives (eg arctic, desert, tropical), strategic cultures and war fighting doctrines that all play a role in setting national requirements for defence equipment, as do domestic defence industry policies and international security alliances.
The European: Often cost is mentioned as a relevant argument in cooperation. Is it really cheaper to produce or buy armament together?
Jan Joel Andersson: Costs and prices are notoriously difficult to compare since they depend on what is included, such as R&D, sustainment, and time of delivery. There is a long history of joint defence acquisition and arms procurement in Europe. Many studies show that such collaboration has indeed delivered capabilities individual countries could not have acquired on their own, but there are also plenty of studies showing how armament collaboration can lead to capabilities many years late and above cost. In fact, there is no guarantee that buying together will always be cheaper as history is full of failed arms cooperation.
The European: Why do prestigious common projects fail, even when they are supported politically?
Jan Joel Andersson: Armament collaboration involves sensitive military and industrial interests. Balancing between them is difficult and if you then add different budget cycles, political issues, and cultural perspectives, small problems can in some cases create larger ones. In fact, the transaction costs associated with international armament cooperation should not be underestimated.
The European: Do I understand correctly that collaborative defence acquisitions should only be envisaged when they are politically supported and industrial arguments are based on a consensus with clearly defined military requirements?
Jan Joel Andersson: Some armament collaborations are politically motivated and will take place no matter what, but any collaboration will be greatly facilitated by early agreement on clearly defined military requirements and how those should be delivered by industry. Collaboration when done right can then lead to both cost savings and increased interoperability.
The European: The European Defence Agency (EDA) is the institution responsible in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armament, internally, but also outside of the EU. People speak of the EDA as the hub for joint procurement. How do you see the role of the EDA in the future?
Jan Joel Andersson: The EDA can support Member States’ acquisition and procurement in several ways. For example, the agency can assist Member States in harmonising requirements, develop defence technology research, and create joint military capabilities. There are a lot of things the EDA can do but it is up to Member States to use it.
A very recent-one: on 20 March 2023, EU Member States and Norway signed an EDA agreement for the collaborative procurement of ammunition to replenish Member States’ national stockpiles and support Ukraine. The agreement provides a seven-year framework for EU Member States and Norway to jointly procure ammunition of various kinds by aggregating, coordinating and agreeing on contracts with European industry through the EDA. And indeed, there are other areas for joint procurement being prepared by the EDA for soldier systems, and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear equipment.
The European: Let us say a word on the external cooperation of the EDA with the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). While the Agency’s high level steering board of EU defence ministers is a strength of the EDA, what are the strong points of the two other agencies?
Jan Joel Andersson: OCCAR has extensive knowledge of the procurement of large armament programmes, while the NSPA brings the transatlantic dimension and lots of experience in managing and supporting diverse programmes.
The European: How can joint European defence acquisition work in practice?
Jan Joel Andersson: An example of successful cooperation is the Multinational Multi Role Tanker and Transport Fleet (MMF), a fleet of air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft which was initiated as a project in the EDA to harmonise national requirements in 2012. The project was then transferred ‘downstream’ to OCCAR in 2016 for the procurement phase with the first aircraft delivered in 2020. A cooperation agreement between OCCAR and the NSPA in turn, set the framework and conditions for the operation of the fleet which is now operational with nine aircraft ordered and a tenth under contract.
The European: When you sum up what has been said, do you think the EU is on the right track when it comes to armament cooperation?
Jan Joel Andersson: I think a lot of very good work has been done in the EU and there are many tools and instruments available to support European armament cooperation. Now it is up to Member States to use them.
The European: Mr Andersson, I thank you for this conversation and wish you all the best.
Dr Jan Joel Andersson
is a Senior Analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), where he heads the analysis of security and defence, including CSDP, Capability Development, Defence Industry and Technology & Innovation issues. Between 2017-2022, he was a member of the Chief Executive’s Policy Office (cabinet) at the European Defence Agency. Dr Andersson has also worked in the private sector for a world-leading crisis management consultancy and has held faculty appointments at universities and in think-tanks in the United States, Sweden, and France.
