Chief of Defence
Forsvarssjefen
Coat of arms for the Chief of Defence
Standard for the Chief of Defence
Incumbent Eirik Kristoffersen since 17 August 2020
Ministry of Defence
Reports to	Minister of Defence
Appointer	The Prime Minister with approval from The Council of State
Formation	18 May 1940
First holder	Otto Ruge

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.^[1]

The post was first established in 1940,^[2][3] and is currently held by General Eirik Kristoffersen.^[4]

List of Chiefs of Defence

No.	Portrait	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[5] (born 1954)	1 October 2009	19 November 2013	4 years, 49 days	Norwegian Army
18		Bruun-Hanssen, HaakonAdmiral Haakon Bruun-Hanssen[5] (born 1960)	19 November 2013	17 August 2020	6 years, 272 days	Royal Norwegian Navy
19		Kristoffersen, Eirik JohanGeneral Eirik Kristoffersen[5] (born 1969)	17 August 2020	Incumbent	3 years, 258 days	Norwegian Army

References and footnotes