Norwegian Home Guard

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Norwegian Home Guard

Heimevernet

Emblem

Founded December 6, 1946; 77 years ago

Country Norway
Allegiance King of Norway

Branch Norwegian Armed Forces

Type Light infantry

Size 40,500

Headquarters Terningmoen

Motto(s) Overalt – alltid

(Everywhere – always)

Commanders

Chief of Defence General Eirik Kristoffersen

Chief of the Home Guard Major General Frode Ommundsen[1]

Military of Norway

Components

Army
Navy
(Coast Guard)

Air Force
Home Guard
Cyber Defence Force

Ranks
 Norwegian military ranks

Bugle calls

Bugle calls of the Norwegian Army

Armed Forces equipment

Army equipment
Naval ships (active)
Norwegian military aircraft

 v
 t
 e

The Norwegian Home Guard (Norwegian: Heimevernet – "HV") is the

rapid mobilization force within the Norwegian armed forces. Its main focus is
local defense and civil support, but it can also detach volunteers for
international operations. Its main tasks are safeguarding territorial integrity,
strengthening military presence, and protecting important infrastructure.
It has land defense units, and has volunteers and conscript personnel with
backgrounds from all branches. Founded 6 December 1946, it is the second
youngest branch in the Norwegian armed forces after the Norwegian Cyber
Defence Force (Cyberforsvaret).
Organization[edit]
The Home Guard is divided into 11 districts ("HV-districts"), which again is
divided into smaller units, typically covering a single county. In a wartime
situation Heimevernet will typically be used to protect the local infrastructure
and population.
The Home Guard district commanders represent a level of command
subordinate to the Joint Operational Headquarters but with territorial
responsibility which includes responsibility for operational planning. They also
have a responsibility to the Chief of Staff of the Norwegian Home Guard for
force production.[2]
The Home Guard maintains contact with the civil community through a civil-
military network based on mutual knowledge and trust. The local commanders
are responsible for fostering cooperation with the police and the civil sector at
local and county levels.[2]
Strength[edit]
The Home Guard has 40,500 soldiers all over the country, distributed on eleven
regional districts. The Home Guard also has several rapid-reaction intervention
forces consisting of 3,000 voluntarily recruited and well-trained soldiers. [3]
Troop exchange[edit]
The Home Guard does a troop exchange with the Minnesota National
Guard every year.[4] The exchange grew from Norwegian American soldiers sent
to Norway to assist resistance fighters in World War II. As part of the exchange,
American Guard members are flown to Værnes Air Station and Norwegians are
sent to Camp Ripley. Troops complete each other's training, and tour the area.

Vessel of the Naval Home Guard

The Rapid Reaction Forces[edit]
From 2005, the Home Guard has recruited for a high readiness force with better
trained and equipped personnel. It is called the "Rapid Reaction Force"
(Innsatsstyrke). This is the spearhead of the combat force that consists of
specially selected, educated and equipped personnel. The force can be
mobilized rapidly and is a national resource. Effort strengths contribute to
national security.
Soldiers often come from operational armed forces in the Armed Forces and
commit themselves to a minimum of 3 years service each and can be ordered
on a sharp mission in Norway. They must update and further develop their
military competence continuously. They can attend a number of courses, task
force missions and other defense activities.
There is one Rapid Reaction Force per district, in total 3,000 men and women.
The Rapid Reaction Force is the speartip of the Norwegian Home Guard, and
contains flexible and mobile units. It has top priority when concerning weapons,
material and training resources. The force is ready to respond within hours to
acts of terrorism, bomb threats, and or other emergencies. In peacetime, the
RRFs can support the police and civilian community with a variety of tasks,
including providing security for the public and enforcing police regulations.
The RRFs are named after operations executed during WW2 by the Norwegian
Independent Company 1 (a.k.a. Linge Company):

 Oslofjord HV-district 01: RRF Polar Bear VI

 Oslo and Akershus HV-district 02: RRF Derby
 Telemark and Buskerud HV-district 03: RRF Gunnerside
 Opplandske HV-district 05: RRF Grebe
 Agder and Rogaland HV-district 08: RRF Osprey and Varg
 Bergenhus HV-district 09: RRF Bjørn West
 Møre and Fjordane HV-district 11: RRF Archery
  Trøndelag HV-district 12: RRF Rype
 Sør-Hålogaland HV-district 14: RRF Heron
 Nord-Hålogaland HV-district 16: RRF Claymore
 Finnmark HV-district 17: RRF Ida & Lyra and Delfin
The Naval branch of the Home Guard used to be four RRFs. but the Norwegian
government closed the units down in 2017 due to saving costs.

 South: RRF Bundle

 West: RRF Salamander
 North: RRFs Waxwing and Anklet
Platoons[edit]
The Rapid Reaction Forces consists of several different platoons within each
district. In this way, each district will be able to respond to any kind of incident
that could occur, without having to rely on outside help. Each district (with some
variations) will have trained operators in these different types of units:

 Jegertropp (Ranger platoon)

 Skarpskyttertropp (Sniper platoon)
 MP-tjeneste (Military Police)
 Hundetjenesten (K9 unit)
 Stabstropp (Staff platoon – (S-1, to S-4), transport & logistics)
 Sambandstropp (Signal platoon)
 Dykkerlag (Diving team – Underwater reconnaissance, explosives-
detection)
 Sanitetstropp (Medical platoon)
 Innsatstropper (Infantry platoons)
A Light Mechanized unit has been established in district's 12, 14 and 16. this
one is called Multi-Troppen (Multi Platoon). These platoons handle the custom
made Geländewagen 290 multi III and is the speartip of the RRF's.[5]
In Oslo, one of the Home Guard units is styled as a cavalry squadron, and
wears black cavalry berets, because it used to be equipped with M24
Chaffee light tanks and M3 White armored cars, and was manned by former
army dragoons. Its main mission was the defense of the former Fornebu airport;
this mission was changed to escort duties, and it is now one of the rapid
response units in Oslo.[6]
Equipment[edit]

Norwegian Home Guardsman with AG-3 in 1983

Until the end of the 1960s, the Home Guard used second-hand weapons from
the Norwegian Army. At the end of the period, the Home Guard was equipped
with more modern and heavier weapons.
The Home Guard today uses small arms like the MP-7 submachine
guns, HK416[7] automatic rifles, MG-3 machine gun and FN Minimi light machine
guns.[8] Additionally, the Barrett M82 sniper rifle[9] and Glock 17 pistol[10] are used.
Additionally, the Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle is used by the rapid reaction
forces infantry platoons.
The vehicle fleet consists mainly of Mercedes-Benz G-Class utility vehicles,
ambulances and Scania lorries. In November 2020, The Rapid Reaction Forces
received 420 new Volkswagen Amarok field wagons, to replace the older MB
240 wagons.[11]
Home Guard districts[edit]
Region 1

 Oslofjord Heimevernsdistrikt 01 – HV-01 – Rygge

 Oslo og Akershus Heimevernsdistrikt 02 – HV-02 – Lutvann
 Telemark og Buskerud Heimevernsdistrikt 03 – HV-03
– Heistadmoen
 Opplandske Heimevernsdistrikt 05 – HV-05 – Terningmoen
Region 2

 Rogaland Heimevernsdistrikt 08 – HV-08 – Vatneleiren

 Bergenhus Heimevernsdistrikt 09 – HV-09 – Bergenhus
Region 3

 Møre og Romsdal Heimevernsdistrikt 11 – HV-11 – Setnesmoen

 Trøndelag Heimevernsdistrikt 12 – HV-12 – Værnes
 Sør-Hålogaland Heimevernsdistrikt 14 – HV-14 – Drevjamoen
Region 4

 Nord-Hålogaland Heimevernsdistrikt 16 – HV-16 – Elvegårdsmoen

 Finnmark Heimevernsdistrikt 17 – HV-17 – Porsangermoen
Weapons school[edit]
The Home Guards weapon school Heimevernets våpenskole (HVVS)
established in 1947 is located at Dombås. The training centre is providing
education and courses for Home Guard personnel, but also for the other
branches in the armed forces.
HVVS schools 1200 NCOs and officers yearly, and offers 70 different courses
of various length.[12]