# 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.
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.
The post was first established in 1940, and is currently held by General Eirik Kristoffersen.

## List of Chiefs of Defence

| No. | Chief of Defence | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
| 1 | Ruge, OttoMajor General Otto Ruge (1882–1961) | 18 May 1940 | 9 June 1940 | 22 days | Norwegian Army |
| – | Fleischer, Carl GustavMajor General Carl Gustav Fleischer (1883–1942) Acting | 10 June 1940 | 22 February 1942 | 1 year, 257 days | Norwegian Army |
| 2 | Hansteen, Wilhelm von TangenMajor General Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen (1896–1980) | 23 February 1942 | 30 June 1944 | 2 years, 128 days | Norwegian Army |
| 3 | OlavHRH Crown Prince Olav (1903–1991) | 1 July 1944 | 15 July 1945 | 1 year, 14 days | Norwegian Army |
| (1) | Ruge, OttoLieutenant General Otto Ruge (1882–1961) | 16 July 1945 | 31 December 1945 | 168 days | Norwegian Army |
| – | Corneliussen, EliasRear Admiral Elias Corneliussen (1881–1951) Acting | 1 January 1946 | 31 May 1946 | 150 days | Royal Norwegian Navy |
| – | Hansson, HalvorMajor General Halvor Hansson (1886–1956) Acting | 1 June 1946 | 31 July 1946 | 60 days | Norwegian Army |
| 4 | Berg, OleLieutenant General Ole Berg (1890–1968) (as Chief of the Defence Staff) | 1 August 1946 | 31 October 1955 | 9 years, 91 days | Norwegian Army |
| 5 | Lambrechts, FinnLieutenant General Finn Lambrechts (1900–1956) (as Chief of the Defence Staff) | 1 November 1955 | 8 December 1956 † | 1 year, 37 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force |
| 6 | Øen, BjarneLieutenant General Bjarne Øen (1898–1994) (as Chief of the Defence Staff) | 10 January 1957 | 31 December 1962 | 5 years, 355 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force |
| (6) | Øen, BjarneLieutenant General Bjarne Øen (1898–1994) | 1 January 1963 | 31 December 1963 | 364 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force |
| 7 | Johannessen, Folke HaugerVice Admiral Folke Hauger Johannessen (1913–1997) | 1 January 1964 | 31 December 1972 | 8 years, 365 days | Royal Norwegian Navy |
| 8 | Zeiner-Gundersen, Herman FredrikGeneral Herman Fredrik Zeiner-Gundersen (1915–2002) | 1 February 1972 | 20 March 1977 | 5 years, 47 days | Norwegian Army |
| 9 | Hamre, Sverre B.General Sverre B. Hamre (1918–1990) | 21 March 1977 | 30 June 1982 | 5 years, 70 days | Norwegian Army |
| 10 | Hauge, SvenGeneral Sven Hauge (1923–1997) | 1 July 1982 | 30 June 1984 | 1 year, 365 days | Royal Norwegian Air Force |
| 11 | Bull-Hansen, FredrikGeneral Fredrik Bull-Hansen (1927–2018) | 1 July 1984 | 31 August 1987 | 3 years, 61 days | Norwegian Army |
| 12 | Eide, VigleikGeneral Vigleik Eide (1933–2011) | 31 August 1987 | 5 September 1989 | 2 years, 5 days | Norwegian Army |
| 13 | Rein, TorolfAdmiral Torolf Rein (born 1934) | 5 September 1989 | 31 October 1994 | 5 years, 56 days | Royal Norwegian Navy |
| 14 | Solli, ArneGeneral Arne Solli (1938–2017) | 31 October 1994 | 30 April 1999 | 4 years, 181 days | Norwegian Army |
| 15 | Frisvold, SigurdGeneral Sigurd Frisvold (1947–2022) | 1 May 1999 | 31 March 2005 | 5 years, 334 days | Norwegian Army |
| 16 | Diesen, SverreGeneral Sverre Diesen (born 1949) | 1 April 2005 | 30 September 2009 | 4 years, 182 days | Norwegian Army |
| 17 | Sunde, HaraldGeneral Harald Sunde (born 1954) | 1 October 2009 | 19 November 2013 | 4 years, 49 days | Norwegian Army |
| 18 | Bruun-Hanssen, HaakonAdmiral Haakon Bruun-Hanssen (born 1960) | 19 November 2013 | 17 August 2020 | 6 years, 272 days | Royal Norwegian Navy |
| 19 | Kristoffersen, Eirik JohanGeneral Eirik Kristoffersen (born 1969) | 17 August 2020 | Incumbent | 4 years, 51 days | Norwegian Army |

## References and footnotes

* ↑ Overview of the Chief of Defence of Norway position and a listing of holders (in Norwegian) Archived 2009-09-15 at the Wayback Machine
* ↑ Derry, T.K. (1972). A History of Modern Norway: 1814—1972. Clarendon Press, Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-822503-4.
* ↑ Kersaudy, François (1987). Norway 1940. St. Martin's Press, New York. ISBN 0-312-06427-6.
* ↑ "Generalmajor Eirik Kristoffersen ny forsvarssjef". 12 May 2020.
* 1 2 3 "Norway has appointed a new Chief of Defence". Regjeringen.no, 21 June 2013, webpage: Regj398.