Chief of Defence (Norway)

The Chief of Defence (Forsvarssjefen) is the highest-ranking officer of the Norwegian Armed Forces, second only to the King of Norway. Even though he holds the same rank as the King of Norway, according to the Norwegian Constitution the King holds the highest command of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Home Guard.

Chief of Defence
Forsvarssjefen
Coat of arms for the Chief of Defence
Standard for the Chief of Defence
Incumbent
Eirik Kristoffersen
since 17 August 2020
Ministry of Defence
TypeActive
Reports toMinister of Defence
AppointerThe Prime Minister
with approval from The Council of State
Term lengthNo fixed length
Formation18 May 1940
First holderOtto Ruge

The Chief of Defence is the top advisor to the Government regarding military issues. He is responsible for carrying out the mission the King or Minister of Defence gives to the Military. He is also Norway's representative to NATO's military committee.[1]

The post was first established in 1940,[2][3] and is currently held by General Eirik Kristoffersen.[4]

List of Chiefs of Defence
No. Portrait Chief of DefenceTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branch
1
Ruge, OttoMajor General
Otto Ruge
(1882–1961)		18 May 19409 June 194022 days Army
–
Fleischer, Carl GustavMajor General
Carl Gustav Fleischer
(1883–1942)
Acting		10 June 194022 February 19421 year, 257 days Army
2
Hansteen, Wilhelm von TangenMajor General
Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen
(1896–1980)		23 February 194230 June 19442 years, 128 days Army
3
OlavHRH Crown Prince
Olav
(1903–1991)		1 July 194415 July 19451 year, 14 days Army
(1)
Ruge, OttoLieutenant General
Otto Ruge
(1882–1961)		16 July 194531 December 1945168 days Army
–
Corneliussen, EliasRear Admiral
Elias Corneliussen
(1881–1951)
Acting		1 January 194631 May 1946150 days Navy
–
Hansson, HalvorMajor General
Halvor Hansson
(1886–1956)
Acting		1 June 194631 July 194660 days Army
4
Berg, OleLieutenant General
Ole Berg
(1890–1968)
(as Chief of the Defence Staff)		1 August 194631 October 19559 years, 91 days Army
5
Lambrechts, FinnLieutenant General
Finn Lambrechts
(1900–1956)
(as Chief of the Defence Staff)		1 November 19558 December 1956 †1 year, 37 days Air Force
6
Øen, BjarneLieutenant General
Bjarne Øen
(1898–1994)
(as Chief of the Defence Staff)		10 January 195731 December 19625 years, 355 days Air Force
(6)
Øen, BjarneLieutenant General
Bjarne Øen
(1898–1994)		1 January 196331 December 1963364 days Air Force
7
Johannessen, Folke Hauger(Vice) Admiral
Folke Hauger Johannessen
(1913–1997)		1 January 196431 December 19728 years, 365 days Navy
8
Zeiner-Gundersen, Herman FredrikGeneral
Herman Fredrik Zeiner-Gundersen
(1915–2002)		1 February 197220 March 19775 years, 47 days Army
9
Hamre, Sverre B.General
Sverre B. Hamre
(1918–1990)		21 March 197730 June 19825 years, 70 days Army
10
Hauge, SvenGeneral
Sven Hauge
(1923–1997)		1 July 198230 June 19841 year, 365 days Air Force
11
Bull-Hansen, FredrikGeneral
Fredrik Bull-Hansen
(1927–2018)		1 July 198431 August 19873 years, 61 days Army
12
Eide, VigleikGeneral
Vigleik Eide
(1933–2011)		31 August 19875 September 19892 years, 5 days Army
13
Rein, TorolfAdmiral
Torolf Rein
(born 1934)		5 September 198931 October 19945 years, 56 days Navy
14
Solli, ArneGeneral
Arne Solli
(1938–2017)		31 October 199430 April 19994 years, 181 days Army
15
Frisvold, SigurdGeneral
Sigurd Frisvold
(born 1947)		1 May 199931 March 20055 years, 334 days Army
16
Diesen, SverreGeneral
Sverre Diesen
(born 1949)		1 April 200530 September 20094 years, 182 days Army
17
Sunde, HaraldGeneral
Harald Sunde[5]
(born 1954)		1 October 200919 November 20134 years, 49 days Army
18
Bruun-Hanssen, HaakonAdmiral
Haakon Bruun-Hanssen[5]
(born 1960)		19 November 201317 August 20206 years, 272 days Navy
19
Kristoffersen, Eirik JohanGeneral
Eirik Kristoffersen[5]
(born 1969)		17 August 2020Incumbent176 days Army

References and footnotes
  1. Overview of the Chief of Defence of Norway position and a listing of holders (in Norwegian) Archived 2009-09-15 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Derry, T.K. (1972). A History of Modern Norway: 1814—1972. Clarendon Press, Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-822503-4.
  3. Kersaudy, François (1987). Norway 1940. St. Martin's Press, New York. ISBN 0-312-06427-6.
  4. https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/generalmajor-eirik-kristoffersen-ny-forsvarssjef/id2702244/
  5. "Norway has appointed a new Chief of Defence". Regjeringen.no, 21 June 2013, webpage: Regj398.
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