Norwegian military ranks

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Norwegian Defence

Components

	Air Force Luftforsvaret
	Army Hæren
	Navy Marinen
	Coast Guard Kystvakten
	Home Guard Heimevernet

Ranks

Norwegian military ranks

1 Norwegian military ranks
2 Graphical view of insignia

[edit] Norwegian military ranks

Norwegian Army	Royal Norwegian Air Force	Royal Norwegian Navy	NATO
Menig (Dragon in the Cavalry) Private	Flysoldat Private	Utskrevet menig Junior Rate	OR1
Korporal Corporal	Korporal Corporal	Utskrevet ledende menig Leading Rate	OR4
Grenader (Enlisted)	Grenader (Enlisted)	Matros (Enlisted)	OR1
UB-Korporal (In training)	UB-Korporal (In training)	Kvartermester-aspirant (In training)	-
Sersjant Sergeant	Sersjant Sergeant	Kvartermester Petty Officer	OR5
Fenrik Second Lieutenant	Fenrik Second Lieutenant	Fenrik Sub-Lieutenant	OF1
Løytnant Lieutenant	Løytnant Lieutenant	Løytnant Lieutenant	OF1
Kaptein (Rittmester in the Cavalry) Captain	Kaptein Captain	Kapteinløytnant Lieutenant Commander	OF2
Major Major	Major Major	Orlogskaptein Commander	OF3
Oberstløytnant Lieutenant Colonel	Oberstløytnant Lieutenant Colonel	Kommandørkaptein Commander Senior Grade	OF4
Oberst Colonel	Oberst Colonel	Kommandør Captain (Navy)	OF5
Brigader Brigadier	Brigader Brigadier	Flaggkommandør Commodore	OF6
Generalmajor Major General	Generalmajor Major General	Kontreadmiral Rear Admiral	OF7
Generalløytnant Lieutenant General	Generalløytnant Lieutenant General	Viseadmiral Vice Admiral	OF8
General General	General General	Admiral Admiral	OF9

The green part represents soldiers and the equivalent of non-commissioned officers. The blue part represents officers. Norway does not have a NCO-system and thus Sersjant and Kvartermester are grouped with the officers under the common designation befal. The officers are divided into three groups: The befal (company officers, ranks Fenrik to Kaptein inclusive), the staff officers (stabsoffiser, ranks Major to Brigader inclusive), and the generals (Generalmajor to General inclusive).

Fenrik (rank below lieutenant) was previously referred to as Second Lieutenant, while the rank of lieutenant went by Premier Lieutenant. The rank of Brigader is not an old tradition in the Norwegian armed forces and was instated as a replacement for Oberst I (First/Premier Colonel); what is now Oberst was previously 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 Korporal/Utskrevet ledende menig (Corporal/Leading Rate) are usually ascribed to soldiers with long and/or outstanding service. 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.