Military ranks and insignia of Norway
Military ranks and rank insignia of Norway were changed June 1, 2016, with the reintroduction of the Non-Commissioned Officer Corps, and the abolishment of the one-tier officer system in place since 1975.[1]
Components |
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Army Navy (Coast Guard) Air Force Home Guard Cyber Defence Force |
Ranks |
Norwegian military ranks |
Bugle calls |
Bugle calls of the Norwegian Army |
Armed Forces equipment |
Army equipment Naval ships (active) Norwegian military aircraft |
New system of 2016
The Storting adopted in 2015 the new scheme for military personnel, Militærordningen.[1] From 2016, the Norwegian Defence Forces have two career ladders for the military personnel; one officer scheme for personnel with a degree from the military academy, or a university degree and qualification courses, and a non-commissioned officer scheme for personnel with non-commissioned officer school.[2][3]
Commissioned officers
The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the army, navy and air force respectively.
NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Norwegian Army[4] |
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General | Generalløytnant | Generalmajor | Brigader | Oberst | Oberstløytnant | Major | Kaptein/ Rittmester |
Løytnant | Fenrik | Kadett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Royal Norwegian Navy[4] |
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Admiral | Viseadmiral | Kontreadmiral | Flaggkommandør | Kommandør | Kommandørkaptein | Orlogskaptein | Kapteinløytnant | Løytnant | Fenrik | Kadett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Royal Norwegian Air Force[4] |
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General | Generalløytnant | Generalmajor | Brigader | Oberst | Oberstløytnant | Major | Kaptein/ Rittmester |
Løytnant | Fenrik | Kadett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Enlisted
The following are the rank insignia for enlisted for the army, navy and air force respectively.
Historic ranks
System 1916–1930
Officers
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Norway Army [5] |
Shoulder boards were only worn on the greatcoat. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General | Generalløjtnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstløitnant | Major | Kaptein/ Rittmester |
Premierløitnant | Sekondløitnant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Navy [6] |
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Admiral | Viseadmiral | Kontreadmiral | Kommandør | Kommandørkaptein | Kaptein | Kapteinløytnant | Premierløitnant | Sekondløitnant |
System ?–1975
Officers
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General | Generalløjtnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstløitnant | Major | Kaptein/ Rittmester |
Premierløitnant | Sekondløitnant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Navy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Admiral | Viseadmiral | Kontreadmiral | Kommandør | Kommandørkaptein | Kaptein | Premierløitnant | Sekondløitnant | Kadet |
System 1975–2016
Norway did not have a non-commissioned officer system and thus Sergeant and Petty officer are grouped with the officers under the common designation befal. The officers are divided into three groups: The befal (company officers, ranks Ensign to Captain inclusive), the staff officers (stabsoffiser, ranks Major to brigadier inclusive), and the generals (Major General to General inclusive).
Fenrik (Ensign) used to be referred to as Second Lieutenant (Norwegian: Fenrik), while the rank of lieutenant went by First Lieutenant. The rank of Brigadier is not an old tradition in the Norwegian armed forces and was instated as a replacement for Oberst I (First Colonel); what is now Oberst used to be Oberst II (Second Colonel). As shown, the Cavalry have two ranks which differ from the regular Army: Dragon (Dragoon) instead of Menig (Private), and Rittmester (Rittmeister) instead of Kaptein (Captain).
The ranks of Grenader and Matros were bestowed upon soldiers who have finished the 12 months compulsory service and had signed one or more three-year contracts to continue serving. The ranks of Visekorporal/Visekonstabel/Vingsoldat (Corporal/Leading Rate) were usually ascribed to soldiers with long and/or outstanding service, though may be bestowed on soldiers with extra responsibilities (e.g. the shift-commander among a group of soldiers on guard-duty). A UB-Korporal/Kvartermesteraspirant (Rate Corporal/Petty Officer-in-training) was a soldier who has finished the UB course (Utskrevet Befalskurs), a course intended to prepare conscripted soldiers for non-commissioned officer duties, but still under training in "the field". After one-year course and service these soldiers were qualified for the rank of Sersjant or Kvartermester.
Officers
NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Army & Air force |
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General | Generalløytnant | Generalmajor | Brigader | Oberst | Oberstløytnant | Major | Kaptein/ Rittmester |
Løytnant | Fenrik | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Navy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Admiral | Viseadmiral | Kontreadmiral | Flaggkommandør | Kommandør | Kommandørkaptein | Orlogskaptein | Kapteinløytnant | Løytnant | Fenrik |
Enlisted
The rank insignia for enlisted for the army, navy and air force respectively.
NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Norwegian Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sersjant | Korporal | Visekorporal 1. klasse | Visekorporal | Menig | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sergeant | Corporal | Master Lance Corporal | Lance Corporal | Private | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Royal Norwegian Navy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kvartermester | Konstabel | Visekonstabel | Menig | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sergeant | Corporal | Seaman | Junior Seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Royal Norwegian Air Force | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sersjant | Korporal | Visekorporal 1. klasse | Visekorporal | Flysoldat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sergeant | Corporal | Master Lance Corporal | Lance Corporal | Aircraftman |
References
- "Forsvaret innfører ny personellordning" (in Norwegian). Regjeringen. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- "Her er de nye gradene" (in Norwegian). Forsvaret. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- "TJ 12-3-2 Bestemmelse for Hærens distinksjoner og andre uniformstegn, s. 10" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Forsvaret. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- "Militære grader". forsvaret.no (in Norwegian). Norwegian Armed Forces. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- Rühl, Moritz. "The Army of Norway 1939". Uniformology. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- Mollo, Andrew (1981). The Armed Forces of World War II. New York, p. 38.