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]

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 who 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
Norwegian Army	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor		Brigader		Oberst		Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Løytnant			Fenrik
Royal Norwegian Navy	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			Admiral		Viseadmiral		Kontreadmiral		Flaggkommandør		Kommandør		Kommandørkaptein		Orlogskaptein		Kapteinløytnant		Løytnant			Fenrik
Royal Norwegian Air Force	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor		Brigader		Oberst		Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein		Løytnant			Fenrik
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.

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Norwegian Army
	Sjefssersjant			Sersjantmajor			Kommandersersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Sersjant 1. klasse			Sersjant			Korporal 1. klasse		Korporal		Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Ledende Menig	Menig
Translation [4]	Command Sergeant Major [5]			Sergeant Major			Master Sergeant		Sergeant First Class		Staff Sergeant						Senior Sergeant			Sergeant			Corporal 1st Class		Corporal		Specialist 1st Class		Specialist						Private 1st Class	Private
Royal Norwegian Navy
	Sjefsmester			Flaggmester			Orlogsmester		Flotiljemester		Skvadronmester						Senior Kvartermester			Kvartermester			Ledende Konstabel		Konstabel		Senior Visekonstabel		Visekonstabel						Ledende menig	Menig
Translation	Command Master Chief Petty Officer			Flag Master			War Master		Flotilla Master		Squadron Master						Senior Quartermaster			Quartermaster			Leading Constable		Constable		Senior Vice Constable		Vice Constable						Leading Seaman	Seaman
Royal Norwegian Air Force
	Sjefssersjant			Sersjantmajor			Kommandérsersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Vingsersjant			Sersjant			Seniorspesialist		Ledende spesialist		Spesialist		Visespesialist						Ledende Flysoldat	Flysoldat
Translation	Command Sergeant Major			Sergeant Major			Command Sergeant		Staff Sergeant		Senior Sergeant						Wing Sergeant			Sergeant			Senior Specialist		Leading Specialist		Specialist		Junior Specialist						Leaning Airman	Airman
NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1

Historic ranks

System 1916–1930

Norwegian Army Ranks in 1928.

Norwegian Navy ranks 1916-1930.

Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Norway Army [6]	No equivalent								No equivalent																No equivalent
			General		Generalløjtnant		Generalmajor				Oberst		Oberstløitnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Premierløitnant			Sekondløitnant
Navy	No equivalent		N/A		N/A		N/A		No equivalent		N/A						No equivalent								No equivalent
			Admiral		Viseadmiral		Kontreadmiral				Kommandør		Kommandørkaptein		Kaptein				Premierløitnant			Sekondløitnant

System ?–1975

Norwegian ranks 1962.

Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Army	No equivalent		N/A		N/A		N/A		No equivalent		N/A		N/A		N/A		N/A		N/A			N/A			No equivalent
			General		Generalløjtnant		Generalmajor				Oberst		Oberstløitnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Premierløitnant			Sekondløitnant
Navy	No equivalent		N/A		N/A		N/A		N/A		N/A						No equivalent								N/A
			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
Army & Air force	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor		Brigader		Oberst		Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Løytnant			Fenrik
Navy	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			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
Norway	No equivalent
																	Sersjant						Korporal				Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Menig
																	Sergeant						Corporal				Master Lance Corporal		Lance Corporal						Private
Norway	No equivalent																										No equivalent
																	Kvartermester						Konstabel						Visekonstabel						Menig
																	Sergeant						Corporal						Seaman						Junior Seaman
Norway	No equivalent
																	Sersjant						Korporal				Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Flysoldat
																	Sergeant						Corporal				Master Lance Corporal		Lance Corporal						Aircraftman

References

1. "Forsvaret innfører ny personellordning" (norsk). Regjeringen. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
2. "Her er de nye gradene" (norsk). Forsvaret (2015-12-11). Retrieved 2017-02-01.
3. "TJ 12-3-2 Bestemmelse for Hærens distinksjoner og andre uniformstegn, s. 10" (norsk). Forsvaret (2016-04-26). Retrieved 2017-02-01.
4. "TJ 12-3-2 Bestemmelse for Hærens distinksjoner og andre uniformstegn, page 10" (norsk). Forsvaret (2016-04-26). Retrieved 2020-02-03.
5. "Ranks and insignia in the Norwegian Armed Forces (PDF file)" (norsk). Forsvaret. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
6. Rühl, Moritz. "The Army of Norway 1939". Uniformology. Retrieved 30 April 2019.