Military of Norway

Components
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
v t e

Military ranks and rank insignia of Norway were changed June 1, 2016, with the reintroduction of theNon-Commissioned Officer Corps, and the abolishment of the one-tier officer system in place since 1975.^[1]

TheStorting 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] In 2023 the ranks ofKorporal 1. klasse,Ledende konstabel, andSeniorspesialist were removed and the navy adopted new enlisted rank insignia.

The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.

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
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor		Brigader		Oberst		Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Løytnant			Fenrik
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
			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

NATO code	OF-1
Norwegian Army[5]
	Kadett i 3.avdeling	Kadett i 2. avdeling	Kadett i 1.avdeling	Kadett i KS Gjennomgående

The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.

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
	Sersjantmajor						Kommandérsersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Sersjant 1. klasse			Sersjant			Korporal				Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Ledende menig	Menig
Royal Norwegian Navy[4] v t e
	Flaggmester						Orlogsmester		Flotiljemester		Skvadronmester						Senior kvartermester			Kvartermester			Konstabel				Senior visekonstabel		Visekonstabel						Ledende menig	Menig
Royal Norwegian Air Force[4] v t e
	Sersjantmajor						Kommandérsersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Vingsersjant			Sersjant			Ledende spesialist				Spesialist		Visespesialist						Ledende flysoldat	Flysoldat
NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1

NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6
Norwegian Army[5]
	Sersjantmajor	Kommandérsersjant	Stabssersjant	Oversersjant
Royal Norwegian Navy
	Flaggmester	Orlogsmester	Flotiljemester	Skvadronmester
Royal Norwegian Air Force
	Sersjantmajor	Kommandérsersjant	Stabssersjant	Oversersjant

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Norwegian Army Shoulder boards were only worn on the greatcoat.[6]
			General		Generalløjtnant		Generalmajor				Oberst		Oberstløitnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Premierløitnant			Sekondløitnant
Royal Norwegian Navy[7]
			Admiral		Viseadmiral		Kontreadmiral				Kommandør		Kommandørkaptein		Kaptein		Kapteinløytnant		Premierløitnant			Sekondløitnant

Rank group	Non-commissioned officer				Enlisted
Norwegian Army							No insignia
	Fanejunker	Kommandersersjant	Furer	Sersjant	Korporal		Menig
Royal Norwegian Navy
	Underofficer 2den grad	Underofficer 3dje grad	Underofficer 4de grad	Underofficer 5te grad	Menig I klasse	Menig I klasse	Menig III klasse

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

Norway did not have anon-commissioned officer system and thusSergeant andPetty officer are grouped with the officers under the common designationbefal. Theofficers are divided into three groups: Thebefal (company officers, ranksEnsign toCaptain 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 asSecond 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 forOberst I (First Colonel); what is nowOberst used to beOberst II (Second Colonel). As shown, theCavalry have two ranks which differ from theregular Army: Dragon (Dragoon) instead ofMenig (Private), andRittmester (Rittmeister) instead ofKaptein (Captain).

The ranks ofGrenader andMatros 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 ofVisekorporal/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). AUB-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 ofSersjant orKvartermester.

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1
Army & Air force (1975–1997)[8]
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor				Oberst I	Oberst II	Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Løytnant			Fenrik
Navy (1975–1997)[9][10]
			Admiral		Viseadmiral		Kontreadmiral				Kommandør I	Kommandør II	Kommandørkaptein		Orlogskaptein		Kapteinløytnant		Løytnant			Fenrik
Army & Air force (1997–2016)
			General		Generalløytnant		Generalmajor		Brigader		Oberst		Oberstløytnant		Major		Kaptein/ Rittmester		Løytnant			Fenrik
Navy (1997–2016)
			Admiral		Viseadmiral		Kontreadmiral		Flaggkommandør		Kommandør		Kommandørkaptein		Orlogskaptein		Kapteinløytnant		Løytnant			Fenrik

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 (c. 1988)[11]
																	Sersjant						Korporal						Visekorporal						Menig
Royal Norwegian Navy (c. 1988)[9]
											Flaggkvartermester						Kvartermester I Klasse			Kvartermester			Konstabel I Klasse						Konstabel II Klasse			Konstabel III Klasse			Menig
Royal Norwegian Air Force (c. 1988)[12]
																	Sersjant						Korporal						Vingsoldat						Flysoldat
Norwegian Army (–2016)
																	Sersjant						Korporal				Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Menig
Royal Norwegian Navy (–2016)
																	Kvartermester						Konstabel						Visekonstabel						Menig
Royal Norwegian Air Force (–2016)
																	Sersjant						Korporal				Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Flysoldat

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Norwegian Army[13]
	Sersjantmajor						Kommandérsersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Sersjant 1. klasse			Sersjant			Korporal 1. klasse		Korporal		Visekorporal 1. klasse		Visekorporal						Ledende menig	Menig
Royal Norwegian Navy[13]
	Flaggmester						Orlogsmester		Flotiljemester		Skvadronmester						Senior kvartermester			Kvartermester			Ledende konstabel		Konstabel		Senior visekonstabel		Visekonstabel						Ledende menig	Menig
Royal Norwegian Air Force[13]
	Sersjantmajor						Kommandérsersjant		Stabssersjant		Oversersjant						Vingsersjant			Sersjant			Seniorspesialist		Ledende spesialist		Spesialist		Visespesialist						Ledende flysoldat	Flysoldat

• Davis, Brian L. (1988).NATO Forces: An Illustrated Reference to Their Organization and Insignia. Blandford Press.ISBN 0-7137-1737-8. Retrieved31 May 2025.

• "Publikasjoner" [Publications].Forsvarshistorisk museum (in Norwegian). Retrieved10 August 2025.

• Military ranks of Norway
• Military ranks by country

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