NATO doctrine with national elements strengthens the Finnish Defence Forces' integration into the Alliance
Allied Joint Publication (AJP)-01, Allied Joint Doctrine is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) capstone doctrine for Allied joint operations and activities. Finland has now published AJP-01 FI with Finnish National Elements. The doctrine is meant especially for regular personnel of the Finnish Defence Forces and for reservists and conscripts, but the document is public and available from the Finnish Defence Forces website.
Finland became a NATO member in April 2023. With NATO membership, NATO doctrines also steer the activities of the Finnish Defence Forces. AJP-01 defines the common principles and procedures that member states follow while working together in different security situations.
AJP-01 is the basis of all other NATO doctrines. Doctrines of different functions, such as Allied Joint Doctrine for Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence and Security (AJP-2) and Allied Joint Doctrine for the Conduct of Operations (AJP-3), are all derived from AJP-01. Each NATO function also has their own additional doctrines.
The now published AJP-01 FI is a version of AJP-01 that contains the Finnish national elements. The purpose of the document is to provide people with a uniform understanding of NATO’s operation and the ways in which it ties in with Finland’s national defence. The national elements provide an insight into Finland’s defence system and how comprehensive national defence is organized in Finland. The national elements are built on government reports on security and defence policy, government strategies and resolutions as well as on the Defence Forces’ documents.
Each member state has its own special characteristics and national defence solution. This is why the member states may publish a national version of AJP-01, which takes into consideration the needs and defence system of the particular country.
The Finnish Defence Forces Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Major General Sami Nurmi, emphasizes that AJP-01 FI with Finnish national elements bridges NATO’s collective defence and Finland’s national defence:
– Finland is a part of NATO’s collective defence. It is based on all of us working uniformly to achieve common goals. AJP-01 is NATO’s capstone doctrine that provides us with a common starting point and principles. The national elements in AJP-01 FI will provide an understanding of how Finland’s defence system and our model of comprehensive national defence connect to NATO’s collective defence and contribute to it. This doctrine will strengthen operational interoperability and collaboration with our Allies, and it will integrate NATO’s principles and terminology into our daily activities and training. At the NATO level, AJP-01 will be updated in the coming years, and we will naturally follow suit.
Finland’s first NATO doctrine with national elements will anchor the Finnish Defence Forces more firmly in the Alliance and support developing Finland's defence capability together with our Allies and Partners. The doctrine will have an impact on the training and education of regular personnel, conscripts and reservists alike.
Even as a NATO member, the basic principles of Finland's military defence will still be defined nationally. The decisions will be made in Finland, based on Finnish national interest. AJP-01 FI with Finnish National Elements will not restrict the independence of Finland’s defence policy, but support it and strengthen our interoperability with our Allies.
Access the doctrine: AJP-01 FI
