ABSTRACT
Based on the information fed into the defence establishment by the intelligence services, the political leadership has to achieve its primary task: to plan, build up and maintain, within the limits set by the countrys economic strength. In the short run it is the task of the intelligence services to give timely warning of an adversarys preparation for aggressive action against the country. The production of intelligence reports by the Intelligence Staff began in a very modest way in 1945. An interservice Intelligence Assessments Committee under the guidance of the Intelligence Staff was established, with the dual aim of producing an intelligence basis for the Norwegian defence plan and an assessment to serve as Norways input into Standing Groups next SG161 revision on Soviet Strength and Capabilities. As NATO had no independent intelligence service, the assessments on which planning was based based was the product of inputs from the intelligence services of the member states.
