Military ranks and insignia of Norway

The green part represents soldiers and the equivalent of non-commissioned officers. The blue part represents officers. Norway does 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 (Master of the Horse) instead of Kaptein (Captain).

The ranks of Grenader and Matros are bestowed upon soldiers who have finished the 12 months compulsory service and have signed one or more three-year contracts to continue serving. The ranks of Visekorporal/Visekonstabel/Vingsoldat (Corporal/Leading Rate) are 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) is a soldier who has finished the UB course (Utskrevet Befalskurs), a course intended to prepare conscripted soldiers for non-commissioned officer duties, but is still under training in "the field". After one year course and service these soldiers are qualified for the rank of Sersjant or Kvartermester.

A new set of NCO rank and rating insignia will be used starting 2016, but the officer ranks and their respective insignia will stay, however.

Norwegian military ranks until 2016

Army	Air Force	Navy	NATO
Menig Private	Flysoldat Aircraftman	Menig Junior Seaman	OR1
Visekorporal Lance Corporal	Vingsoldat Leading Aircraftman	Visekonstabel Seaman	OR2
Visekorporal 1. Klasse Master Lance Corporal	Vingsoldat 1. Klasse Senior Aircraftman	No equivalent	OR3
Korporal Corporal	Korporal Corporal	Konstabel Leading Seaman	OR4
Sersjant Sergeant	Sersjant Sergeant	Kvartermester Petty Officer	OR5
Fenrik Second Lieutenant		Fenrik Sub-lieutenant	OF1
Løytnant Lieutenant		Løytnant Lieutenant	OF1
Kaptein Captain		Kapteinløytnant Lieutenant Commander	OF2
Major Major		Orlogskaptein Commander	OF3
Oberstløytnant Lieutenant Colonel		Kommandørkaptein Commander, Senior grade	OF4
Oberst Colonel		Kommandør Captain (Navy)	OF5
brigadier Brigadier		Flaggkommandør Commodore	OF6
Generalmajor Major General		Kontreadmiral Rear Admiral	OF7
Generalløytnant Lieutenant General		Viseadmiral Vice Admiral	OF8
General General		Admiral Admiral	OF9

Graphical view of insignia to be used from 2016 onward

Army

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1
Norwegian Army
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor		Brigader		Oberst		Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Løytnant			Fenrik

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Norwegian Army
	Sersjantmajor						Kommandérsersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Sersjant 1. klasse			Sersjant			Korporal				Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Ledende menig	Menig

Air force

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1
Royal Norwegian Air Force
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor		Brigader		Oberst		Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein		Løytnant			Fenrik

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Royal Norwegian Air Force
	Sersjantmajor						Kommandérsersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Vingsersjant			Sersjant			Ledende spesialist				Spesialist		Visespesialist						Ledende flysoldat	Flysoldat

Navy

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1
Royal Norwegian Navy
			Admiral		Viseadmiral		Kontreadmiral		Flaggkommandør		Kommandør		Kommandørkaptein		Orlogskaptein		Kapteinløytnant		Løytnant			Fenrik

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Royal Norwegian Navy
	Flaggmester						Orlogsmester		Flotiljemester		Skvadronmester						Senior kvartermester			Kvartermester			Konstabel				Senior visekonstabel		Visekonstabel						Ledende menig	Menig

External links

• The Badges of the Norwegian Armed Forces
• Norwegian armed forces ranks
• Uniform regulations