General Eirik Kristoffersen på sin første reise som forsvarssjef. Her på 133 luftving, Evenes. Generalen hilser på de ansatte og vernepliktige som arbeider på Evenes flystasjon.

Top commanders

The Chief of Defence exercises command over the Norwegian Armed Forces. The chief is supported by the Defence Staff and a military representative in NATO.

Updated: 18. Aug 2021 17:17:16

The Chief of Defence (CHoD) is the Defence Minister's top military adviser, and an integral part of the Ministry of Defence. The chief also exercises full command of the Norwegian Armed Forces.

Military command authority is delegated to military commanders. The Chief of Defence is the country's highest ranked military official.

Chief of Defence

General Eirik Kristoffersen, born 1969 in Bjerkvik, northern Norway. He has held the position since 17 August 2020.

Before becoming Chief of Defence, Kristoffersen has had a long career in the Army and the Norwegian Special Forces. He has served as chief of the Home Guard and chief of the Army. The General started his military career in 1988.

The Defence Staff

On behalf of the Chief of Defence, the Staff has executive power to run the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Staff assigns priorities, manages resources, provides force generation and supports activities. The Staff is based in Oslo.

The Staff has nine departments led by three chiefs (Chief of Support, Chief of Operations, and Chief of HR). The nine departments are: HR (J1), Intelligence and security (J2), Operations (J3), Logistics (J4), Planning (J5), IT (J6), Exercises (J7/J9), Economy (J8), and Investments (J10).

Chief of the Defence Staff

Vice Admiral Elisabeth Natvig, born 1960. As chief of the Defence Staff, she is also deputy commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces.

Natvig has many years of experience as Director General in the Norwegian Ministry of Defence. She has also held various positions in the Armed Forces and the Defence Staff.

Norwegian Military Representative to NATO

The Norwegian Military Representative to NATO (MMB) is the Norwegian Armed Forces' formal representation at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

The department also looks after Norway's interests and participates in working groups and panels that work out the basis for decisions for NATO’s Military Committee and the North Atlantic Council.

Chief of the Norwegian Military Representative to NATO

Vice Admiral Louise Dedichen, born 1964. As chief, she is a permanent representative of NATO's Military Committee. She is also acts as the Chief of Defense's military representative to NATO and the European Union.

She is also an adviser on military matters and issues for the Norwegian ambassadors to NATO and the EU.

Dedichen has a long military career, and was chief of the Norwegian Defence University College from 2008 to 2019.