Chief of Defence | |
---|---|
Forsvarssjefen | |
Ministry of Defence | |
Reports to | Minister of Defence |
Appointer | The Prime Minister with approval from The Council of State |
Formation | 18 May 1940 |
First holder | Otto Ruge |
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.
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]
No. | Portrait | Chief of Defence | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Major General Otto Ruge (1882–1961) | 18 May 1940 | 9 June 1940 | 22 days | Norwegian Army | |
– | Carl Gustav Fleischer (1883–1942) Acting | Major General10 June 1940 | 22 February 1942 | 1 year, 257 days | Norwegian Army | |
2 | Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen (1896–1980) | Major General23 February 1942 | 30 June 1944 | 2 years, 128 days | Norwegian Army | |
3 | HRH Crown Prince Olav (1903–1991) | 1 July 1944 | 15 July 1945 | 1 year, 14 days | Norwegian Army | |
(1) | Lieutenant General Otto Ruge (1882–1961) | 16 July 1945 | 31 December 1945 | 168 days | Norwegian Army | |
– | Rear Admiral Elias Corneliussen (1881–1951) Acting | 1 January 1946 | 31 May 1946 | 150 days | Royal Norwegian Navy | |
– | Halvor Hansson (1886–1956) Acting | Major General1 June 1946 | 31 July 1946 | 60 days | Norwegian Army | |
4 | Ole Berg (1890–1968) (as Chief of the Defence Staff) | Lieutenant General1 August 1946 | 31 October 1955 | 9 years, 91 days | Norwegian Army | |
5 | Finn Lambrechts (1900–1956) (as Chief of the Defence Staff) | Lieutenant General1 November 1955 | 8 December 1956 † | 1 year, 37 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force | |
6 | Bjarne Øen (1898–1994) (as Chief of the Defence Staff) | Lieutenant General10 January 1957 | 31 December 1962 | 5 years, 355 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force | |
(6) | Bjarne Øen (1898–1994) | Lieutenant General1 January 1963 | 31 December 1963 | 364 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force | |
7 | Vice Admiral Folke Hauger Johannessen (1913–1997) | 1 January 1964 | 31 December 1972 | 8 years, 365 days | Royal Norwegian Navy | |
8 | General Herman Fredrik Zeiner-Gundersen (1915–2002) | 1 February 1972 | 20 March 1977 | 5 years, 47 days | Norwegian Army | |
9 | Sverre B. Hamre (1918–1990) | General21 March 1977 | 30 June 1982 | 5 years, 70 days | Norwegian Army | |
10 | Sven Hauge (1923–1997) | General1 July 1982 | 30 June 1984 | 1 year, 365 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force | |
11 | Fredrik Bull-Hansen (1927–2018) | General1 July 1984 | 31 August 1987 | 3 years, 61 days | Norwegian Army | |
12 | Vigleik Eide (1933–2011) | General31 August 1987 | 5 September 1989 | 2 years, 5 days | Norwegian Army | |
13 | Admiral Torolf Rein (born 1934) | 5 September 1989 | 31 October 1994 | 5 years, 56 days | Royal Norwegian Navy | |
14 | Arne Solli (1938–2017) | General31 October 1994 | 30 April 1999 | 4 years, 181 days | Norwegian Army | |
15 | Sigurd Frisvold (1947–2022) | General1 May 1999 | 31 March 2005 | 5 years, 334 days | Norwegian Army | |
16 | Sverre Diesen (born 1949) | General1 April 2005 | 30 September 2009 | 4 years, 182 days | Norwegian Army | |
17 | Harald Sunde [5] (born 1954) | General1 October 2009 | 19 November 2013 | 4 years, 49 days | Norwegian Army | |
18 | Haakon Bruun-Hanssen [5] (born 1960) | Admiral19 November 2013 | 17 August 2020 | 6 years, 272 days | Royal Norwegian Navy | |
19 | Eirik Kristoffersen [5] (born 1969) | General17 August 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 45 days | Norwegian Army |
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