Military of Norway
Norway has mandatory military service for males (6-12 months of training) and voluntary service for females.
The Norwegian Army 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, the Army is the largest of Norway’s armed services, with a peacetime strength of 15,000 (including civilian employees), and approximately 89,000 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.
The Royal Norwegian Navy (often abbreviated as RNoN) is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. As of 2005, the Navy consists of approximately 5,000 personnel and 25 vessels, including 2 frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 1 minelayer, 6 minesweepers, 1 mine detection vessel, 1 support vessel and 2 training vessels. The Navy also includes the Coast Guard.
In Norwegian, Royal Norwegian Navy vessels are given the ship prefix “KNM,” short for Kongelige Norske Marine (Royal Norwegian Navy). In English, they are given the prefix “HNoMS”, short for “His/Her Norwegian Majesty’s Ship”. Coast Guard vessels are given the prefix “KV” for Kongelig Vakttjeneste (Royal Guard Service) in Norwegian and “NoCGV” for Norwegian Coast Guard Vessel in English.