15th U.S.-Sweden Defense Industry Conference

Global and northern European security environments are much less stable than at the time of the 14th conference, in 2011, of this decades-long series. Russia has recently become increasingly aggressive while western defense budgets remain constrained. Worrisome is the imbalance between current security challenges and the ability to mobilize robust defenses on short notice. Defense establishments are changing how they do business by adopting a more effective approach to defense acquisition; 20th century planning and acquisition practices are no longer adequate.

This conference will update participants about: Swedish and U.S. future defense system needs, evolving national defense acquisition management policies, how successful Swedish companies have marketed their products and services to U.S. DoD, how successful U.S. companies have marketed their products and services to the Swedish MOD, and how Swedish and U.S. companies teamed successfully to maximize their competitiveness in the eyes of Swedish MOD and U.S. DoD acquisition decision makers.

The U.S. and Sweden rank among the top countries in terms of their R&D investment as a percentage of GDP; both nations commit substantial resources to the creation and application of new knowledge and technology. Their defense industries value R&D as the primary driver of innovation, product development, and future revenues. That R&D and defense industrial infrastructure can be leveraged in ways that deliver both performance and reduced ownership costs. Needed is a closer linkage between government and industry, supplemented by industry teaming and partnering arrangements among large, medium, and small companies, both domestic and foreign.

While there have been major successes in recent decades, all players must do better in this period of fiscal challenge and competing demands. Industry and government participants will benefit from engaging with the best minds in the Swedish and U.S. defense communities as they explore current needs and exchange views about how industry can satisfy those needs through enhanced cooperation.