The Royal Norwegian Navy () is the branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces responsible for naval operations of Norway, including those of the Norwegian Coast Guard. , the Royal Norwegian Navy consists of approximately 3,700 personnel (9,450 in mobilized state, 32,000 when fully mobilized) and 70 vessels, including 4 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support vessels and 2 training vessels.
This navy has a history dating back to 955. From 1509 to 1814, it formed part of the navy of Denmark-Norway, also referred to as the "Common Fleet". Since 1814, the Royal Norwegian Navy has again existed as a separate navy.
In Norwegian, all its naval vessels since 1946 bear the ship prefix KNM, which stands for "Kongelige Norske Marine" (which translates to "Royal Norwegian Navy"); in English, these vessels are identified by the prefix HNoMS, meaning "His/Her Norwegian Majesty's Ship". Coast Guard vessels bear the prefix KV, for "Kystvakt" (which translates to "Coast Guard"); in English, these vessels are identified by the prefix NoCGV, for "Norwegian Coast Guard Vessel".
History Early history The history of Norwegian state-operated naval forces is long, and goes back to the leidang which was first established by King Håkon the Good at the Gulating in 955, although variants of the Leidang had at that time already existed for hundreds of years. During the last part of the Middle Ages the system of levying of ships, equipment, and manpower for the leidang was mainly used to levying tax and existed as such into the 17th Century.
During most of the union between Norway and Denmark the two countries had a common fleet. This fleet was established by King Hans in 1509 in Denmark. A large proportion of the crew and officers in this new Navy organisation were Norwegian. In 1709 there were about 15,000 personnel enrolled in the common fleet; of these 10,000 were Norwegian. When Peter Tordenskjold carried out his famous raid at Dynekil in 1716 more than 80 percent of the sailors and 90 percent of the soldiers in his force were Norwegian. Because of this the Royal Norwegian Navy shares its history from 1509 to 1814 with the Royal Danish Navy.
The modern, separate Royal Norwegian Navy was founded (restructured) on April 12, 1814, by Prince Christian Fredrik on the remnants of the Dano-Norwegian Navy. At the time of separation, the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy was in a poor state and Norway was left with the lesser share. All officers of Danish birth were ordered to return to Denmark and the first commander of the Norwegian navy became Captain Thomas Fasting. It then consisted of 39 officers, seven brigs (one more under construction), one schooner-brig, eight gun schooners, 46 gun chalups and 51 gun barges. April 1, 1815, the Royal Norwegian Navy's leadership was reorganized into a navy ministry, and Fasting became the first navy minister.
Norway retained its independent armed forces, including the navy, during the union with Sweden. During most of the union the navy was subjected to low funding, even though there were ambitious plans to expand it. In the late 19th century, the fleet was increased to defend a possible independent Norway from her Swedish neighbours.
In 1900, just five years prior to the separation from Sweden, the navy, which was maintained for coastal defence, consisted of: two British-built coastal defence ships ( and – each armored and displacing about 3,500 tons), four ironclad monitors, three unarmored gun vessels, twelve gunboats, sixteen small (sixty ton) gunboats, and a flotilla of twenty-seven torpedo boats.Keltie, J.S., ed. The Statesman's Year Book: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1900. New York: MacMillan, 1900. (Retrieved via Google Books 3/5/11.) These were operated by 116 active duty officers (with an additional sixty reserve) and 700 petty officers and seamen.
World War I Norway was neutral during World War I, but the armed forces were mobilised to protect Norway's neutrality. The neutrality was sorely tested – the nation's merchant fleet suffered heavy casualties to German U-boats and commerce raiders.
World War II
World War II began for the Royal Norwegian Navy on April 8, 1940, when the German torpedo boat Albatross attacked the guard ship Pol III. In the opening hours of the Battle of Narvik, the old coastal defence ships ("panserskip") and , both built before 1905 and hopelessly obsolete, attempted to put up a fight against the invading German warships; both were torpedoed and sunk. The German invasion fleet heading for Oslo was significantly delayed when Oscarsborg Fortress opened fire with two of its three old 28 cm guns, followed by the 15 cm guns on Kopås on the eastern side of the Drøbak strait. The artillery pieces inflicted heavy damage on the German heavy cruiser Blücher, which was subsequently sunk by torpedoes fired from Oscarsborg's land-based torpedo battery. Blücher sank with over 1,000 casualties among its crew and soldiers aboard. The German invasion fleet – believing Blücher had struck a mine – retreated south and called for air strikes on the fortress. This delay allowed King Haakon VII of Norway and the Royal family, as well as the government, to escape capture.
On June 7, 1940, thirteen vessels, five aircraft and 500 men from the Royal Norwegian Navy followed the King to the United Kingdom and continued the fight from bases there until the war ended. The number of men was steadily increased as Norwegians living abroad, civilian sailors and men escaping from Norway joined the Royal Norwegian Navy. Funds from Nortraship were used to buy new ships, aircraft and equipment.
Ten ships and 1,000 men from the Royal Norwegian Navy participated in the Normandy Invasion in 1944.
During the war the navy operated 118 ships, at the end of the war it had 58 ships and 7,500 men in service. They lost 27 ships, 18 fishing boats (of the Shetland bus) and 933 men in World War II.
The navy had its own air force from 1912 to 1944.
After the war, three Type VII U-boats which had surrendered to the Allies in May 1945 were transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy : , and entered service as Kya, Kaura and Kinn respectively.
1960s to present The building of a new fleet in the 1960s was made possible with substantial economic support from the United States. During the Cold War, the navy was optimized for sea denial in coastal waters to make an invasion from the sea as difficult and costly as possible. With that mission in mind, the Royal Norwegian Navy consisted of a large number of small vessels and up to 15 small diesel-electric submarines. The navy is now replacing those vessels with a smaller number of larger and more capable vessels.
The Royal Norwegian Navy Museum is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Norway's naval history.
Ensign and Jack
Bases
Some of The Royal Norwegian Navy's bases are: Haakonsvern in Bergen Municipality (main base for the navy). Ramsund in Tjeldsund Municipality, between the towns of Harstad and Narvik (special operations/Marinejegerkommandoen) Trondenes Fort in Harstad Municipality (Coastal Ranger Command) Sortland Naval Base in Sortland Municipality (Coast Guard Squadron North) KNM Harald Haarfagre in Stavanger Municipality (basic training facility for navy and air force conscripts) Karljohansvern in Horten Municipality (training facility)
Organization The Navy is organized into the Fleet, the Coast Guard, and the main bases.
The Fleet consists of: Fleet Chief Staff, 1st Frigate Squadron (1. Fregattskvadron) Submarine Branch (Ubåtvåpenet) 1st Corvette Squadron (1. Korvettskvadron) 1st Minesweeper Squadron (1. Minerydderskvadron) Fleet Logistics Commando (Marinens Logistikkkommando) Coastal Ranger Commando (Kystjegerkommandoen) Naval EOD Command (Minedykkerkommandoen)
The Naval Schools are: Royal Norwegian Naval Basic Training Establishment, KNM Harald Haarfagre, Stavanger Royal Norwegian Navy Officer Candidate School, Horten and Bergen Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, Laksevåg, Bergen Royal Norwegian Naval Training Establishment, KNM Tordenskjold, Haakonsvern, Bergen
Two of the schools of the Navy retain ship prefixes, reminiscent of Royal Navy practises.
Museum: Royal Norwegian Navy Museum, Horten
Fleet units and vessels (present)
Submarine Branch The submarine fleet consists of several submarines. "Ubåtvåpenet" maintain six Ula-class submarines: Ula (S300) Utsira (S301) Utstein (S302) Utvær (S303) Uthaug (S304) Uredd (S305)
1st Frigate Squadron Note: These ships are generally considered destroyers by their officers and other navies due to their size and role. Helge Ingstad was decommissioned and sold for scrap after a collision with an oil tanker in November 2018 severely damaged the ship.
. Five vessels commissioned. Since late 2018, four in service. (F310) Launched June 3, 2004. Commissioned April 5, 2006. (F311) Launched May 25, 2005. Commissioned May 21, 2007. (F312) Launched April 28, 2006. Commissioned April 30, 2008. (F314) Launched February 11, 2009. Commissioned January 18, 2011.
1st Corvette Squadron
The Coastal Warfare fleet consists of corvettes.
Missile Patrol Boat (Skjold class), all 6 commissioned:
Skjold (P960) Launched September 22, 1998. Commissioned April 17, 1999 Storm (P961) Launched November 1, 2006. Skudd (P962) Launched April 30, 2007. Steil (P963) Launched January 15, 2008. Glimt (P964) Gnist (P965)
Mine Branch
1st Mine Clearing Squadron Flagship Nordkapp A531 (1980) - former coast guard patrol vessel (W320) commissioned into navy service effective 1 November 2022. (1994) Måløy M342 Hinnøy M343
(1996): Otra M351 Rauma M352
Coastal Ranger Command Tactical Boat Squadron Combat Boat 90N (1996) Trondenes Skrolsvik Kråkenes Stangnes Kjøkøy Mørvika Kopås Tangen Oddane Malmøya Hysnes Brettingen Løkhaug Søviknes Hellen Osternes Fjell Lerøy Torås Møvik
Norwegian Naval EOD Command
Fleet Logistics Command Supply/underway replenishment ship Maud (A530). Acquired in November 2018 and first "maiden deployment" initiated in September 2021.
Royal yacht: Norge (A553) Reine-class patrol vessels: Magnus Lagabøte (A537) Olav Trygvasson (A536)
Coast Guard units and vessels
Jan Mayen Bjørnøya Harstad Svalbard Barentshav Sortland Bergen Nornen Njord Tor Heimdal Farm
Future vessels Norway has prioritized replacing its current submarine fleet. In February 2017 the German manufacturer Thyssen Krupp was selected to deliver four new submarines, of the Type 212CD submarine-class design, starting in the latter 2020s to replace the Ula-class boats. A firm build contract with Thyssen Krupp was anticipated in the first half of 2020 as part of a joint program under which Norway will procure four submarines and Germany two. However, as of the end of 2020 a contract had not yet been signed. In March 2021 it was indicated that an agreement had been reached between Norway and Germany to initiate the acquisition program, pending approval by the Bundestag. The contract was signed in July 2021 and construction of the first vessel began in September 2023. Delivery of the first boat to the Royal Norwegian Navy is anticipated in 2029.