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 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
Norwegian Army^[4] v t e
Norwegian Army^[4] v t e		General	Generalløytnant	Generalmajor	Brigader	Oberst	Oberstløytnant	Major	Kaptein/ Rittmester	Løytnant	Fenrik
Royal Norwegian Navy^[4] v t e
Royal Norwegian Navy^[4] v t e		Admiral	Viseadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flaggkommandør	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptein	Orlogskaptein	Kapteinløytnant	Løytnant	Fenrik
Royal Norwegian Air Force^[4] v t e
Royal Norwegian Air Force^[4] v t e		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

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^[4] v t e
Norwegian Army^[4] v t e	Sersjantmajor		Kommandérsersjant	Stabssersjant	Oversersjant	Sersjant 1. klasse	Sersjant	Korporal		Visekorporal 1. klasse	Visekorporal	Ledende menig	Menig
Royal Norwegian Navy^[4] v t e
Royal Norwegian Navy^[4] v t e	Flaggmester		Orlogsmester	Flotiljemester	Skvadronmester	Senior kvartermester	Kvartermester	Konstabel		Senior visekonstabel	Visekonstabel	Ledende menig	Menig
Translation	Command Master Chief Petty Officer	Master Chief Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Flotilla Chief Petty Officer	Petty Officer	Senior Quartermaster	Quartermaster	Leading Constable	Constable	Senior Vice Constable	Vice Constable	Leading Seaman	Seaman
Royal Norwegian Air Force^[4] v t e
Royal Norwegian Air Force^[4] v t e	Sersjantmajor		Kommandérsersjant	Stabssersjant	Oversersjant	Vingsersjant	Sersjant	Ledende spesialist		Spesialist	Visespesialist	Ledende flysoldat	Flysoldat
Translation	Command Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major	First Sergeant	Master Sergeant	Technical Sergeant	Flight Sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance Corporal	Specialist	Senior airman	Leading 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

Rank insignia of Norwegian Army and Navy in 1928

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers				Senior officers			Junior officers
Norway Army ^[5]	Shoulder boards were only worn on the greatcoat.
Norway Army ^[5]	Shoulder boards were only worn on the greatcoat.	General	Generalløjtnant	Generalmajor	Oberst	Oberstløitnant	Major	Kaptein/ Rittmester	Premierløitnant	Sekondløitnant
Navy ^[6]
Navy ^[6]		Admiral	Viseadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptein	Kaptein	Kapteinløytnant	Premierløitnant	Sekondløitnant

Enlisted

System ?–1975

Officers

Rank group					Senior officers			Junior officers
Army
Army	General	Generalløjtnant	Generalmajor		Oberst	Oberstløitnant	Major	Kaptein/ Rittmester	Premierløitnant	Sekondløitnant
Navy
Navy	Admiral	Viseadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Kommandør		Kommandørkaptein	Kaptein		Premierløitnant	Sekondløitnant	Kadet

Enlisted

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-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Army & Air force
Army & Air force	General	Generalløytnant	Generalmajor	Brigader	Oberst	Oberstløytnant	Major	Kaptein/ Rittmester	Løytnant	Fenrik
Navy
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-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
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

^ ^a ^b "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.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Militære grader" [Military ranks]. forsvaret.no (in Norwegian). Norwegian Armed Forces. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
^ 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.

[reg_pers-1] "Forsvaret innfører ny personellordning" (in Norwegian). Regjeringen. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.

[nyegrad-2] "Her er de nye gradene" (in Norwegian). Forsvaret. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.

[tj_12_3-3] "TJ 12-3-2 Bestemmelse for Hærens distinksjoner og andre uniformstegn, s. 10" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Forsvaret. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.

[Norway-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Militære grader" [Military ranks]. forsvaret.no (in Norwegian). Norwegian Armed Forces. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 26 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.

[5] Rühl, Moritz. "The Army of Norway 1939". Uniformology. Retrieved 30 April 2019.

[6] Mollo, Andrew (1981). The Armed Forces of World War II. New York, p. 38.

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