Everything about The Norwegian Army totally explained
The
Norwegian Army (
Norwegian:
Hæren) is
Norway's military land force. It is part of the
Norwegian Defence Force along with the
Royal Norwegian Navy, the
Royal Norwegian Air Force and the
Norwegian Home Guard. Established in 1628, it currently has a peacetime strength of 16,000, and approximately 51,000 fully mobilized.
The Army is mainly located in two areas, mid-
Troms and the
south-eastern part of the country, with other special units like the King's Guards and the border guards placed elsewhere.
Pre-WWII history
The Norwegian Army dates back to Viking times, when it consisted of only the household forces of local kings and their allies. The present army was established by the
Danish-Norwegian king
Christian IV "to defend the kingdom against exterior dangers." This is still the primary mission of the Norwegian Army.
The first great victory of the Norwegian Army came in 1808, when the Swedes attempted to invade Norway from the south, but were forced back by the forces of Prince Kristian August. In 1814 the Swedes invaded again, this time with the support of the victors of the Napoleonic wars. The Swedish king intended to take Norway by force, but the Norwegian army couldn't be broken despite several losses and as a result the war ended with the Swedish king accepting Norway as a separate state with its own constitution - but the Norwegians having to accept him as a king. The officer class was well represented in the forming of the Constitution in 1814, which included clauses providing for a Norwegian national army based on compulsory service.
In 1905, the
Storting voted to separate from Sweden. The army had been modernized and were highly trained in the years before 1905. War seemed inevitable, and 22,000 men were mobilized, but Norway
achieved independence peacefully.
Norwegian resistance movement after German forces occupied Norway. Likewise there were many Norwegian army members that joined German forces. Norwegian soldiers also joined free Norwegian units in the
United Kingdom to continue the fight against the Nazis. These units included the
Norwegian Independent Company 1 and 5 Troop, No.10 (Inter Allied)
Army Commandos.
(External Link
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Post World War II
Norway was one of the founding members of
NATO, and during the
Cold War, the Norwegian Army’s primary role was the defence of Norway and Western Europe’s northern flank. British, Dutch and US Marines were tasked to assist in the defence of Norway during any Soviet invasion.
Norway has also contributed to NATO and
United Nations peacekeeping forces. Since 1947 Norway has contributed military personnel to over 40 international operations abroad and some 120,000 Norwegians have served in these operations. The major missions have been UNIFIL (Lebanon), IFOR/SFOR (Bosnia) and KFOR (Kosovo), as well as multiple contributions to UN observer missions.
The Norwegian Army sent troops to support the NATO
ISAF mission in
Afghanistan, to help free Afghanistan of the
Taliban. Norwegian special forces were involved in combat operations during
Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002, and Norwegian Army troops during
Operation Harekate Yolo in 2007.
(External Link)
Insignia
Organization
The Army is organized along three functional lines:
- Commander, Army Forces (HSTY)
- Commander, Army Ranger Command (HJK)
- Commander, Army Transformation and Doctrine Command (TRADOK)
Subordinate commands
HSTY
6th Division
3th Division (Mob, wartime only)
10th Division (Mob, wartime only)
Army Garrison Sør-Varanger, Border guards (GSV)
Norwegian Special Command (FSK)
Army Ranger Command (HJK)
Army Garrison Porsanger (GP)
Norwegian Military Academy (KS)
Army Combat Arms Centre (KampUKS)
Army Tactical Training Centre (HTTS)
Army Logistic Centre (LogUKS)
Army Signal Centre (SBUKS)
Garrisons
Heistadmoen - HV-03
Jørstadmoen - FK KKIS
Huseby leir - HMKG
Rena leir - KAMPUKS, Telemark Bataljon, HMKG and HJK
Terningmoen - KAMPUKS
Sessvollmoen - LOGUKS, FMPS, National Support Element and MUKS
Skjold - Brig. N, Brig. 6
Setermoen - Brig. N, Brig. 6
Bardufoss - Brig. N
Porsangermoen - Garnisonen i Porsanger
Høybuktmoen - Garnisonen i Sør-Varanger
Linderud - Tradok / Krigsskolen (Norwegian Military Academy)
Weapons
Individual weapons
AG-3 - Norwegian version of the Heckler & Koch G3 Battle rifle. 3000 rifles has also been modernized and known as AG3F2 (All rifles to be replaced by the Heckler & Koch HK416 rifle.)
Heckler & Koch HK416 - Assault Rifle - to be introduced as the new standard rifle
Heckler & Koch HK417 - Sniper Rifle
Heckler & Koch G36 - Assault Rifle - Used by FSK, HJK and Telemark Battalion on international operations.
Diemaco C8 SFW - Assault Rifle - Only used by FSK and HJK units (replaced by HK416).
FN Minimi Para - Machine gun, only used by HJK units in the SPW version.
Heckler & Koch MP5 - Submachine gun (modernized)
Heckler & Koch MP7 - Submachine gun
Barrett M82A1 - .50 Cal/12,7 mm high-powered heavy sniper rifle
Accuracy International L115A1 - Sniper Rifle - Only used by HJK units.
Våpensmia NM149 NM149F1 - Sniper rifle.
Heckler & Koch MSG-90 - Sniper rifle (replaced by HK417).
P80 Pistol- Norwegian version of Glock 17 currently being modernized.
Heckler & Koch USP - Pistol - Only used by HJK units.
M72 LAW NM-72F1 - Anti-tank rocket propelled grenade.
Crew weapons
MG3 - Machine gun
Browning M2 - .50 Cal/12,7 mm Heavy machine gun
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle
ERYX - Anti-tank missile (replaced by Javelin)
BGM-71 TOW2 - Anti-tank missile (NM-142F1 antitank vehicle based on M113)
Javelin anti-tank missile, 100 launchers and 526 missiles, delivery from 2006.
Bofors RBS 70 - Laser guided Surface-to-air missile (considered replaced. Edit: System no longer in use).
Combat vehicles
Leopard 2A4NO Main Battle Tank |46 MBT and 6 to be built in an engineering version| 152 Ordered (Norwegian version of Leopard 2)(all tanks will be upgraded to A5/6 standard (In use: 2001-)
Leopard 1A5NO Main Battle Tank |184| |20| in current service. (Norwegian version of the Leopard 1) (being replaced by the Leopard 2) (In use: 1966-2008). Still 20 as HTTS (Army Tactical Training Centre) vehicles)(A number of engineering vehicles like bridgelayer, engineer and armuored recovery vehicle is also in service).
CV9030N and CV9030S Infantry fighting vehicle |114| (In use 1999-).
M270 MLRS Multiple Rocket Launcher |32| (External Link) on tracked and armoured chassis. (Now temporarily mothballed but being considered for reactivation in FY2007(External Link)).
M 109 A3GN Self-Propelled Artillery |154| about |80| still in service. (Norwegian modernized (2006-2008) version of M 109) (In use: 1969-)
M113 Armored Personnel Carrier F1 and F2 (M113 A2) and F3 (M113 A3) Of different types |850| (In use: 1964-)
Sisu XA-185 MLU and Sisu 203N Armoured Personnel Carrier |50| (In use: 1983-)78 bought and 28 Sisu XA-186 MLU has been transferred to the Homegaurd.
Iveco LMV Light Multirole Vehicle |70|, similar to the Panther CLV (In use:2007-)
General-purpose vehicles
Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen: a wide range of models, softskin, hardtop and armoured versions; MB 240 softskin most widely used
Hägglunds Bv206, an unarmoured tracked vehicle often used for reconnaissance and command-and-control tasks
Nissan Terrano II
Toyota Land Cruiser
Alvis Tactica
Land Rover Wolf
Scania P93, P113, P143 trucks, and also the 412 rescue and recovery vehicle
Lynx 5900 and 6900 snowmobiles
Lynx Yeti Pro V800 Army snowmobiles
Polaris Bigboss 6WD ATV
The army has recently bought 25 new Iveco LMV light-armored vehicles for patrol and reconnaissance tasks in connection with Norway's contribution to the ISAF force in Afghanistan, and has an option of buying 47 additional vehicles. The Iveco vehicles are intended to fill the span between the unarmored Geländewagens and the CV9030 IFVs previously operated by the army, after personnel from the Telemark Battalion made requests for lightly armoured vehicles after missions in Afghanistan. The first four Ivecos are now deployed to the Norwegian Camp Nidaros in support of ISAFs Quick Reaction Force in Mazar-e-Sharif, another 12 are to follow soon. (External Link) (External Link).Further Information
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