Norway on alert, Commander speaks: 'top priority for military reinforcement'

SETERMOEN, Norway - The Major General Lars S. Lervik è a capo dell’Esercito norvegese dal 2020, con base a Bardufoss, nel nord della Norvegia. A partire dai primi mesi del 2025, la forza è composta da circa 9.000 persone, tra cui soldati, civili e coscritti, poiché la leva obbligatoria riguarda sia uomini che donne.

Born in 1971, General Lervik has distinguished himself as a strong advocate of support for Ukraine. The Norwegian Army, together with other armed forces in the country, has contributed to the training of over 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers, both at home and in the UK, as part of theOperation Interflex. Before taking up his current post, Lervik commanded the Northern Brigade, the largest unit of the Norwegian Army.

The Norwegian Army Commander was interviewed by the portal Defence Newsaddressing crucial issues such as the timetable for strengthening Norway's defensive posture, urgent equipment needs, cooperation with other Arctic nations, and Russian military activities in the region. Below is the translated and summarised text.

You have argued strongly for Norway to invest quickly and significantly in its defence capabilities. Considering the current challenges the country faces, how quickly do you think these investments should materialise?

We have before us a window of opportunity - and at the same time a responsibility - to do everything we can to strengthen our capabilities, both as a country and as an integral part of NATO. The goal is to increase our combat power and strengthen our defensive posture as quickly and effectively as possible. In some areas, such as the acquisition of new equipment, we have to deal with the physiological time of the process: it can take two or three years, between approval, production and delivery. But in other areas, such as personnel, progress can - and should - take place immediately. I would like to see an acceleration already now, both in the recall of former military personnel who could return to service and in the increase in the number of conscripts and officers in training.

From your point of view, what is the most urgent priority for your army today?

It is about acquiring new operational capabilities: state-of-the-art artillery, more air defence systems, more combat vehicles for the infantry - and the list goes on. But, in a broader vision, our goal is to generate more firepower while investing in the development of unmanned systems and countermeasures to defend against them.

Some of the equipment that the Norwegian Army relies on is American-made, but these systems are not always designed to operate in extreme Arctic conditions. Considering the recent push for European nations to buy more from European manufacturers, to reduce dependence on the US, do you have a preference for European equipment? Is it a priority?

Our approach is quite simple: whatever is best, we want to get it, as long as it works effectively in our operating environment and does not come from countries we do not want to buy from. We don't, for example, want to buy Chinese drones. But if the equipment is American or European, it makes no difference to us. We are all part of the same alliance: NATO. From a military point of view, my goal is to buy the best equipment available, regardless of the nationality of the manufacturer. Whether Swedish, American, German or Norwegian, what counts is quality and adaptability. Norway, for example, produces excellent air defence systems, even though they use American-made ammunition.

Negli ultimi anni, le nazioni nordiche hanno annunciato l’ambizione di operare come una forza aerea congiunta e di cooperare più strettamente in quel dominio. Esistono aspirazioni simili per istituire anche un esercito artico congiunto? Qual è l’importanza della nuova iniziativa di difesa in questo contesto?

We are not creating a Nordic Command in the strict sense, but we are establishing a new NATO Land Command in Finland, officially called Multinational Land Component Command (MCLCC). This command will operate under the Norfolk Joint Force Commandin the United States, and will include Nordic, Arctic and other alliance members. The aim is to make it possible to operate as a joint force. However, it is important to emphasise that each nation will maintain its own armies while working closely together. For example, we are considering the acquisition of the same combat vehicles for infantry, which would facilitate interoperability in the event of joint combat.

Are there plans to create a dedicated information-sharing alliance between Arctic nations, including Canada and the United States?

In fact, we already have a form of cooperation in this regard. There is a Centre of Excellence for Cold Weather Operations (Cold Weather Operations Centre of Excellence – CWO COE)which operates under the aegis of NATO, bringing together the Arctic allies. In this context, we share best practices in many areas: from how we deal with climate change in extreme environments, to the type of equipment required, to training and operational doctrines.

According to some analyses, Russia is more advanced in Arctic military presence and the number of bases in the region than NATO. Do you think this assessment is correct or that Russian capabilities in the Arctic are often overestimated?

We observed that the Russians, living in that environment, are certainly very capable of operating in the Arctic. However, at the same time, we have been surprised by how badly Russia has behaved in some operational areas. On the other hand, it is clear that they are also learning: they are still struggling, and adapting. We therefore continue to monitor everything concerning Russian activities in the Arctic very closely.

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/03/25/interview-norwegian-army-chief-wants-to-generate-more-firepower/