View source for Chief of Defence (Norway)

{{Short description|Highest-ranking professional military officer in the Norwegian Armed Forces}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post                    = Chief
| body                    = Defence
| native_name             = ''Forsvarssjefen''
| flag                    = Flag of the Norwegian Chief of Defence.svg
| flagsize                =
| flagborder              =
| flagcaption             = Standard for the Chief of Defence
| insignia                = Coat of arms of the Norwegian Chief of Defence.svg
| insigniasize            = 75px
| insigniacaption         = Coat of arms for the Chief of Defence
| image                   = General Eirik Kristoffersen, Chief of Defense of the Armed Forces of Norway, at the Pentagon on 8 April 2024 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize               =
| alt                     =
| incumbent               = [[Eirik Kristoffersen]]
| acting                  =
| incumbentsince          = 17 August 2020
| type                    =
| status                  =
| department              = [[Ministry of Defence (Norway)|Ministry of Defence]]
| style                   =
| member_of               =
| reports_to              = [[Minister of Defence (Norway)|Minister of Defence]]
| residence               =
| seat                    =
| nominator               =
| appointer               = The [[Prime Minister of Norway|Prime Minister]]
| appointer_qualified     = with approval from [[Cabinet of Norway|The Council of State]]
| termlength              =
| termlength_qualified    =
| constituting_instrument =
| precursor               =
| formation               = 18 May 1940
| first                   = [[Otto Ruge]]
| last                    =
| abolished               =
| succession              =
| abbreviation            =
| unofficial_names        =
| deputy                  =
| salary                  =
| website                 =
}}
The '''Chief of Defence''' (''Forsvarssjefen'') is [[Chief of Defence|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 [[Norwegian Army|Army]], [[Norwegian Air Force|Air Force]], [[Norwegian Navy|Navy]] and [[Norwegian Home Guard|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 [[Norwegian Ministry of Defence|Minister of Defence]] gives to the Military. He is also Norway's representative to [[NATO Military Committee|NATO's military committee]].<ref name="HTML1">[http://www.mil.no/fst/forsvarssjefen/start/sjefsrolle/ Overview of the Chief of Defence of Norway position and a listing of holders (in Norwegian)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090915181931/http://www.mil.no/fst/forsvarssjefen/start/sjefsrolle/ |date=2009-09-15 }}</ref>
The post was first established in 1940,<ref name="Derry">{{Cite book|author=Derry, T.K. |title=A History of Modern Norway: 1814&mdash;1972 |publisher=Clarendon Press, Oxford |year=1972|isbn=978-0-19-822503-4}}</ref><ref name="Kersaudy">{{Cite book|author=Kersaudy, François |authorlink=François Kersaudy  |title=Norway 1940|publisher=St. Martin's Press, New York |year=1987|isbn=0-312-06427-6 }}</ref> and is currently held by General [[Eirik Kristoffersen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/generalmajor-eirik-kristoffersen-ny-forsvarssjef/id2702244/|title = Generalmajor Eirik Kristoffersen ny forsvarssjef|date = 12 May 2020}}</ref>
==List of Chiefs of Defence==
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder          = y
| showimage          = y
| image_title        = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Chief of Defence
| showtermlenght     = y
| showparty          = n
| showdefencebranch  = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = Otto Ruge.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Major General]]
| officeholder      = [[Otto Ruge]]
| officeholder_sort = Ruge, Otto
| born_year         = 1882
| died_year         = 1961
| term_start        = 18 May 1940
| term_end          = 9 June 1940
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1940|05|18|1940|06|09}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = –
| image             = Carl Gustav Fleischer 1940b.jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Carl Gustav Fleischer]]
| officeholder_sort = Fleischer, Carl Gustav
| born_year         = 1883
| died_year         = 1942
| term_start        = 10 June 1940
| term_end          = 22 February 1942
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1940|06|10|1942|02|22}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| image             = Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen.jpg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Wilhelm von Tangen Hansteen]]
| officeholder_sort = Hansteen, Wilhelm von Tangen
| born_year         = 1896
| died_year         = 1980
| term_start        = 23 February 1942
| term_end          = 30 June 1944
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1942|02|23|1944|06|30}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| image             = 129. Kronprins Olav - no-nb digifoto 20160111 00008 bldsa pk kgl0064.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Royal Highness|HRH]] [[Crown Prince]]
| officeholder      = [[Olav V|Olav]]
| officeholder_sort = Olav
| born_year         = 1903
| died_year         = 1991
| term_start        = 1 July 1944
| term_end          = 15 July 1945
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1944|07|01|1945|07|15}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = (1)
| image             = Otto Ruge.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Lieutenant General]]
| officeholder      = [[Otto Ruge]]
| officeholder_sort = Ruge, Otto
| born_year         = 1882
| died_year         = 1961
| term_start        = 16 July 1945
| term_end          = 31 December 1945
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1945|07|16|1945|12|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = –
| image             = Elias Corneliussen.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Rear Admiral]]
| officeholder      = [[Elias Corneliussen]]
| officeholder_sort = Corneliussen, Elias
| born_year         = 1881
| died_year         = 1951
| term_start        = 1 January 1946
| term_end          = 31 May 1946
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1946|01|01|1946|05|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{navy|Norway}}
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = –
| image             = Coat of arms of the Norwegian Army.svg
| military_rank     = Major General
| officeholder      = [[Halvor Hansson]]
| officeholder_sort = Hansson, Halvor
| born_year         = 1886
| died_year         = 1956
| term_start        = 1 June 1946
| term_end          = 31 July 1946
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1946|06|01|1946|07|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
| acting            = y
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| image             = Ole Berg (1890-1968).jpg
| military_rank     = Lieutenant General
| officeholder      = [[Ole Berg]]
| officeholder_sort = Berg, Ole
| officeholder_note = {{small|(as Chief of the Defence Staff)}}
| born_year         = 1890
| died_year         = 1968
| term_start        = 1 August 1946
| term_end          = 31 October 1955
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1946|08|01|1955|10|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| image             = Finn Lambrechts, Sjef Luftforsvaret - Kjevik 1955 (cropped).jpg
| military_rank     = Lieutenant General
| officeholder      = [[Finn Lambrechts]]
| officeholder_sort = Lambrechts, Finn
| officeholder_note = {{small|(as Chief of the Defence Staff)}}
| born_year         = 1900
| died_year         = 1956
| died              = y
| term_start        = 1 November 1955
| term_end          = 8 December 1956
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1955|11|01|1956|12|08}}
| defence_branch    = {{air force|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             = Bjarneoen littlenorway.jpg
| military_rank     = Lieutenant General
| officeholder      = [[Bjarne Øen]]
| officeholder_sort = Øen, Bjarne
| officeholder_note = {{small|(as Chief of the Defence Staff)}}
| born_year         = 1898
| died_year         = 1994
| term_start        = 10 January 1957
| term_end          = 31 December 1962
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1957|01|10|1962|12|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{air force|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = (6)
| image             = Bjarneoen littlenorway.jpg
| military_rank     = Lieutenant General
| officeholder      = [[Bjarne Øen]]
| officeholder_sort = Øen, Bjarne
| born_year         = 1898
| died_year         = 1994
| term_start        = 1 January 1963
| term_end          = 31 December 1963
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1963|01|01|1963|12|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{air force|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| image             = Coat of arms of the Royal Norwegian Navy.svg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder      = [[Folke Hauger Johannessen]]
| officeholder_sort = Johannessen, Folke Hauger
| born_year         = 1913
| died_year         = 1997
| term_start        = 1 January 1964
| term_end          = 31 December 1972
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1964|01|01|1972|12|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{navy|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| image             = Herman Fredrik Zeiner-Gundersen 1979.jpg
| military_rank     = [[General]]
| officeholder      = [[Herman Fredrik Zeiner-Gundersen]]
| officeholder_sort = Zeiner-Gundersen, Herman Fredrik
| born_year         = 1915
| died_year         = 2002
| term_start        = 1 February 1972
| term_end          = 20 March 1977
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1972|02|01|1977|03|20}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| image             = Coat of arms of the Norwegian Army.svg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Sverre B. Hamre]]
| officeholder_sort = Hamre, Sverre B.
| born_year         = 1918
| died_year         = 1990
| term_start        = 21 March 1977
| term_end          = 30 June 1982
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1977|03|21|1982|05|30}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| image             = Royal Norwegian Air Force logo.svg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Sven Hauge]]
| officeholder_sort = Hauge, Sven
| born_year         = 1923
| died_year         = 1997
| term_start        = 1 July 1982
| term_end          = 30 June 1984
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1982|07|01|1984|06|30}}
| defence_branch    = {{air force|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 11
| image             = Coat of arms of the Norwegian Army.svg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Fredrik Bull-Hansen]]
| officeholder_sort = Bull-Hansen, Fredrik
| born_year         = 1927
| died_year         = 2018
| term_start        = 1 July 1984
| term_end          = 31 August 1987
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1984|07|01|1987|08|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 12
| image             = Vigleik Eide.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Vigleik Eide]]
| officeholder_sort = Eide, Vigleik
| born_year         = 1933
| died_year         = 2011
| term_start        = 31 August 1987
| term_end          = 5 September 1989
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1987|08|31|1989|09|05}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 13
| image             = Coat of arms of the Royal Norwegian Navy.svg
| military_rank     = [[Admiral]]
| officeholder      = [[Torolf Rein]]
| officeholder_sort = Rein, Torolf
| born_year         = 1934
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 5 September 1989
| term_end          = 31 October 1994
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1989|09|05|1994|10|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{navy|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 14
| image             = General Solli.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Arne Solli]]
| officeholder_sort = Solli, Arne
| born_year         = 1938
| died_year         = 2017
| term_start        = 31 October 1994
| term_end          = 30 April 1999
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1994|10|31|1999|04|30}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 15
| image             = Coat of arms of the Norwegian Army.svg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Sigurd Frisvold]]
| officeholder_sort = Frisvold, Sigurd
| born_year         = 1947
| died_year         = 2022
| term_start        = 1 May 1999
| term_end          = 31 March 2005
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1999|05|01|2005|03|31}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 16
| image             = Sverre Diesen.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Sverre Diesen]]
| officeholder_sort = Diesen, Sverre
| born_year         = 1949
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 1 April 2005
| term_end          = 30 September 2009
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2005|04|01|2009|09|30}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 17
| image             = Harald Sunde.jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Harald Sunde (general)|Harald Sunde]]<ref name=RN/>
| officeholder_sort = Sunde, Harald
| born_year         = 1954
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 1 October 2009
| term_end          = 19 November 2013
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2009|10|01|2013|11|19}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 18
| image             = Haakon Bruun-Hanssen admiral IMG 5133.JPG
| military_rank     = Admiral
| officeholder      = [[Haakon Bruun-Hanssen]]<ref name=RN/>
| officeholder_sort = Bruun-Hanssen, Haakon
| born_year         = 1960
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 19 November 2013
| term_end          = 17 August 2020
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2013|11|19|2020|08|17}}
| defence_branch    = {{navy|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 19
| image             = General Eirik Kristoffersen, Chief of Defense of the Armed Forces of Norway, at the Pentagon on 8 April 2024 (cropped).jpg
| military_rank     = General
| officeholder      = [[Eirik Kristoffersen]]<ref name=RN/>
| officeholder_sort = Kristoffersen, Eirik Johan
| born_year         = 1969
| died_year         =
| term_start        = 17 August 2020
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|2020|08|17}}
| defence_branch    = {{army|Norway}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
==References and footnotes==
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate
footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags-->
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="RN">
"Norway has appointed a new Chief of Defence".
Regjeringen.no, 21 June 2013, webpage:
[http://www.regjeringen.no/en/archive/Stoltenbergs-2nd-Government/Ministry-of-Defence/Nyheter-og-pressemeldinger/pressemeldinger/2013/norway-has-appointed-a-new-chief-of-defe.html?id=731398 Regj398].
</ref>
}}
{{Norwegian Armed Forces}}
{{Chief of military by country}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chief Of Defence Of Norway}}
[[Category:Norwegian military personnel| ]]
[[Category:Chiefs of defence|Norway]]