Norwegian military ranks

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[edit] Norwegian military ranks

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 (Norwegian: Secondløitnant), 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.

[edit] Graphical view of insignia

• Norwegian armed forces ranks

[edit] Army

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF-D-	Student Officer
Norway [edit]	No Equiv	General	Generalløytnant	Generalmajor	Brigader	Oberst	Oberstløytnant	Major	Kaptein / Rittmester	Løytnant	Fenrik	No Equiv

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4		OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Norway [edit]	No Equivalent								No Equivalent								Sersjant						Korporal		No Equivalent								Grenader Menig

[edit] Air force

[edit] Navy

[edit] Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF-D	Student Officer
Norway (Edit)	No Equivalent	Admiral	Viseadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flaggkommandør	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptein	Orlogskaptein	Kapteinløytnant	Løytnant	Fenrik	No Equivalent

A Royal Norwegian Navy Leading Rate (OR-4) wearing the M-2000 uniform, which is worn by both noncommissioned ranks and officers in all branches of the Norwegian Defence.