This is an opinion article and the views expressed are solely those of the author.

Entrepreneur Sebastian Merlöv has written a refreshing and insightful opinion article about the recently launched From Innovation to Battlefield Demonstration Week (Battle Week), initiated by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).

Just like Merlöv, FMV and the other defence authorities are acutely aware of the necessity of shifting pace within materiel supply and the need to rapidly field innovations that address military operational and tactical challenges within combat units. The Swedish Government's Strategic Direction for Defence Innovation highlights the importance of enabling more civilian companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to access the defence market. Furthermore, defence authorities are tasked with pursuing innovation-promoting public procurement.

As a direct response to this, FMV created Battle Week with the aim of significantly shortening the lead time from an identified military problem to the fielding of an innovative solution. It also seeks to lower the barriers for SMEs to access the state's technology infrastructure — for example, the advanced test facilities operated by FMV Test & Evaluation (T&E). Additionally, Battle Week is intended to serve as a focal point for companies with little or no experience of the defence sector, enabling the development of networks and an understanding of the Swedish Armed Forces' requirements. The pace is intended to be high, with the goal of conducting four Battle Weeks annually.

Battle Week offers companies the opportunity, for a fee, to test and demonstrate their solutions in a realistic operational environment and against relevant threat scenarios, where units from the Swedish Armed Forces may form a component. End users and agency representatives from Sweden, our allies, and partner nations are invited to the demonstration element. Following Battle Week, the authority may decide to initiate an independent procurement process.

Merlöv highlights the fee as a barrier for small innovative companies to participate. We are well aware of this, and have therefore made it possible for Swedish companies to apply for partial funding towards the fee through the Civil-Military Innovation Programme (CMIP). But why must there be a fee at all — could the state not simply grant SMEs access to the technology infrastructure free of charge, or at a heavily subsidised rate?

Here, the unfortunate answer is that current regulations do not permit this if companies are subsequently to be eligible to participate in a procurement process that, while formally independent, directly follows Battle Week in the same area. Neither we, the pace of delivery, nor the companies themselves are well served by a participant being disqualified or by a protracted appeals process. The bureaucratic separation between procurement and funding is therefore both necessary and highly relevant.

But is it not ultimately the same thing whether FMV offers a discount or whether SMEs receive a grant via CMIP — since in both cases it is ultimately the state providing the funding?

That is certainly true, but CMIP is administered by Vinnova, Sweden's government innovation agency, on behalf of the Swedish Armed Forces. Vinnova's core mandate is to support, promote, and finance innovations and small businesses. FMV is primarily a procuring authority and has no capacity to act in a similar manner.

Does that mean FMV cannot do anything to promote innovation and support SMEs? Of course not — but within the parameters defined by our primary mandate. Battle Week is the latest and perhaps most advanced of a range of initiatives that FMV is developing to bring innovations of varying maturity levels into the materiel supply chain. For example, there is a new military innovation challenge for Ukraine with no registration fee and with the possibility of a development contract.

Furthermore, for several years, within the framework of the military innovation programme, we have conducted TechDays. These are aimed at companies wishing to progress from ideas to innovative solutions across various technology areas, where the prize is a commission for continued concept and technology development. We are also moving closer to academia — for example, through close collaboration with Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in southern Sweden on naval technology, under the name the Student Challenge, where students gain access to and work on real military problems.

What Battle Week brings to the table is a very close link between a military problem, testing in a realistic environment, and evaluation against relevant threats.

In addition, it enables demonstration to potential customers from Sweden and other nations, and — should a separate procurement decision be taken — the rapid introduction of new capabilities to the Swedish Armed Forces. All of this takes place at a reduced cost to industry through economies of scale.

The alternative to Battle Week, under current regulations, is unfortunately not fee-free access to the state's technology infrastructure. Rather, it is very limited access — FMV T&E's test facilities are operating at very high capacity — where each company must bear the full cost itself, without the opportunity for demonstration, a potentially subsequent procurement from Sweden or other nations, or the faster introduction of new capabilities to the Swedish Armed Forces.

Jonas Linde

FMV T&E Division / FMV Test & Evaluation

Director Marketing & Sales / Marketing Manager and Project Lead, Battle Week

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