Allied Forces North Norway (NON) was a NATO command tasked with the defense of Northern Norway. NON's area of responsibility covered the three northernmost counties of Norway: Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, as well as the adjacent sea territory.
Allied Forces North Norway (NON) and was activated in 1962 along with Allied Forces South Norway (SONOR) and Allied Forces Baltic Approaches. Unlike most other NATO commands NON was a staffed entirely by members of the Norwegian Armed Forces. It's operational headquarters was located in a bunker at Reitan, which today is used as the Norwegian Joint Headquarters. The commander of NON had three deputies: Commander Land Forces North Norway, Commander Air Forces North Norway and Commander Naval Forces North Norway. Each of the three deputies commanded the Norwegian units of his service branch based in District Command North Norway. Incoming allied units would have come under the command of these three deputy commanders.
NON had the following units at its disposal to fight an attack by the Soviet Union's 6th Army:
Allied Forces North Norway (NON), commanded by a Norwegian lieutenant general:
Commander Naval Forces North Norway
Naval Forces North Norway (NAVNON) was tasked with the defence of Northern Norway's coastal waters against Soviet naval incursions and amphibious landings. Operations in the ocean beyond Norway's coastal waters were under the command of NATO Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic's (SACLANT) Northern Sub-Area Command (NORLANT). Therefore NAVNON consisted of coastal artillery units and one fast attack craft squadron. The boats for the fast attack craft squadron were dispatched from units in Southern Norway on a rotational basis.
Commander Naval Forces North Norway (NAVNON), commanded by a Norwegian rear admiral:
Olavsvern Naval Base near Tromsø
22nd Fast Attack Craft Squadron
Ramsund Naval Base near Narvik
Sortland Naval Base in Sortland
Coastal Artillery
Nordland county:
Bremnes Fortress in Bodø
Ofotfjord defenses to protect Narvik
Korshamn Torpedo Battery in Ballangen
Porsøy Torpedo Battery in Ballangen
Nes Fort in Lødingen with 2x 120mm Tornautomatpjäs m/70 automatic guns
Tjeldøy Fort in Tjeldsund
Troms county:
Andfjorden defenses to protect Harstad
Sandsøy Fort on Sandsøya
Meløyvær Fortress on Krøttøya with 3x 120mm Tornautomatpjäs m/70 automatic guns
Skrolsvik Fort in Skrollsvika
Trondenes Fort in Harstad
Grøtavær Fort on Grytøya
Stangnes Fort in Harstad
Malangen Fjord and Gisundet defenses, covering the Northern entry of the Andfjorden
Malangen Torpedo Battery in Tennskjær
Rødbergodden Fort in Aglapsvik
Gibostad Fort in Gibostad
Skorliodden Fort in Vangshamn
Tromsø defenses
Grøtsund Fort covering the Northern side of Tromsø
Breiviknes Fort in Ramfjordbotn with 3x 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 automatic guns covering the Northern entry of the Grøtsundet and the Ullsfjorden
Årøybukt Fort in Lyngseidet with 3x 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 automatic guns to defend the Lyngenfjord
Commander Air Forces North Norway
Commander Air Forces North Norway (AIRNON), commanded by a Norwegian major general:
Control and Reporting Centre Sørreisa managed by the 131st Air Wing
Bodø Air Station
132nd Air Wing
331st Fighter/Bomber Squadron with 18x F-16A
334th Fighter/Bomber Squadron with 18x F-16A
719th Transport Squadron with 3x DHC-6 Twin Otter and 6x UH-1B
Norwegian Adapted Hawk air-defense battery with 3x Hawk launchers and 3x 40mm L/70 radar-guided anti-aircraft guns
Search and Rescue Detachment from the 330th Helicopter Squadron with 2x Sea King Mk43
Bardufoss Air Station
139th Air Wing
337th Helicopter Squadron with 6x Lynx Mk.86
339th Helicopter Squadron with 12x Bell 412
Norwegian Adapted Hawk air-defense battery with 3x Hawk launchers and 3x 40mm L/70 radar-guided anti-aircraft guns
Andøya Air Station
133rd Air Wing
333rd Squadron with 6x P-3C Orion
Norwegian Adapted Hawk air-defense battery with 3x Hawk launchers and 3x 40mm L/70 radar-guided anti-aircraft guns
Banak Air Station
Search and Rescue Detachment from the 330th Helicopter Squadron with 2x Sea King Mk43
Norwegian Adapted Hawk air-defense battery with 3x Hawk launchers and 3x 40mm L/70 radar-guided anti-aircraft guns at Evenes Air Station to defend the vital airport and harbor at Narvik
Commander Land Forces North Norway
Commander Land Forces North Norway (LANDNON), commanded by a Norwegian major general:
6th Division in Harstad
Brigade North Norway in Bardufoss (Active unit)
Brigade Staff Company in Heggelia
1st Armored Infantry Battalion in Setermoen with 26 Leopard 1 tanks, 29x NM135 infantry fighting vehicles
2nd Infantry Battalion in Øverbygd with Bandvagn 206, 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x M106 mortar carriers
3rd Infantry Battalion in Harstad with Bandvagn 206, 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x M106 mortar carriers
Field Artillery Battalion in Setermoen with 18x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers
Reconnaissance Squadron in Øverbygd with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehicles
Anti-tank Missile Company in Setermoen with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanks
Anti-Aircraft Battery in Heggelia with 6x NM195 anti-air missile vehicles and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns
Engineer Company in Øverbygd
Mounted Squadron in Øverbygd with pack horses
Signal Company in Heggelia
Supply Company in Heggelia
Transport Company in Heggelia
Maintenance Company in Heggelia
Medical Company in Setermoen
Artillery Observation Platoon in Setermoen with 2x Cessna O-1A planes
Military Police Platoon in Heggelia
Brigade 14 (Norwegian Home Guard District 14 mobilization unit) in Mosjøen
1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
Field Artillery Battalion with 24x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers
Reconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehicles
Anti-tank Missile Company with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanks
Anti-Aircraft Battery with 6x RBS 70 man-portable air-defense systems and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns
Engineer Company
Brigade 15 (Norwegian Home Guard District 15 and Norwegian Home Guard District 16 mobilization unit) in Bardu
1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
Field Artillery Battalion with 18x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers
Reconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehicles
Anti-tank Missile Company with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanks
Anti-Aircraft Battery with 6x RBS 70 man-portable air-defense systems and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns
Engineer Company
Garnisonen i Sør-Varanger (Active unit based at the Soviet-Norwegian border) in Høybuktmoen
Varanger Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
Artillery Battery with 6x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers
Garnisonen i Porsanger (Active unit) in Porsangmoen
Porsanger Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
Tank Company with 13x Leopard 1 tanks
Artillery Battery with 6x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers
Hålogaland Engineer Battalion
Hålogaland Signal Battalion
Hålogaland Medical Battalion
Bjerkvik Maintenance Workshop
Norwegian Home Guard District 14 Sør-Hålogaland – Mosjøen and Vefsn (Home Guard in Southern Nordland)
Norwegian Home Guard District 15 Nord-Hålogaland in Elvegårdsmoen and Bjerkvik (Home Guard in Northern Nordland)
Norwegian Home Guard District 16 Troms in Bardu (Home Guard in Troms)
Norwegian Home Guard District 17 Vest-Finnmark in Alta (Home Guard in Western Finnmark county)
Alta Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
Artillery Battery with 6x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers
Norwegian Home Guard District 18 Øst-Finnmark in Høybuktmoen (Home Guard in Eastern Finnmark)
Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
NON would have been reinforced by the following Norwegian units from Allied Forces South Norway:
Brigade 5 (Norwegian Home Guard District 5 mobilization unit) in Terningmoen in Eastern Norway, equipment pre-positioned in Northern Norway
1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
Field Artillery Battalion with 18x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzers
Reconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehicles
Anti-tank Missile Company with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanks
Anti-Aircraft Battery with 6x RBS 70 man-portable air-defense systems and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft guns
Engineer Company
Artillery Observation Platoon with 2x Cessna O-1A planes
Brigade 6 (Norwegian Home Guard District 6 mobilization unit) in Hønefoss in Eastern Norway, equipment pre-positioned in Northern Norway
1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars
Field Artillery Battalion with 24x M114 155mm towed howitzers
Reconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehicles
NATO would have planned to reinforce NON with 2-7 days with the following allied formations:
Allied Land Forces:
Royal Navy: 3 Commando Brigade including 1 Amphibious Combat Group and Whiskey Company of the Netherlands Marine Corps. The brigade trained annually in Northern Norway and had large stores of vehicles and supplies pre-positioned there.
U.S. Marine Corps, 2nd Marine Division: Norway Air-Landed Marine Expeditionary Brigade (NALMEB) had all its equipment pre-positioned in eight purpose-built caves near the Værnes Air Station in Trondheim in central Norway. The eight caves contained material for 15,000 troops and war stocks for 30 days. Three of the caves held ground equipment, three munitions and two held aviation support equipment. It was likely that the full division would have been deployed to Norway and the 2nd Marine Division still trains every year deploying forces to Norway.
Allied Air Forces:
US Air Force: three F-16 fighter-bomber squadrons, one F-15 fighter squadron and one RF-4 reconnaissance squadron
US Marine Corps, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing: two F-18 fighter-bomber squadrons, two Harrier ground attack squadrons, one RF-4B reconnaissance squadron, one EA-6 electronic warfare squadron and one KC-130 aerial refueling squadron
Royal Air Force: one Jaguar fighter-bomber squadron
Until 1988 the Canadian Air-Sea Transportable Brigade Group formed around the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group was destined to reinforce Northern Norway and had its heavy equipment pre-positioned in Norway. In 1987 Canada decided use the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group to reinforce the 1st Canadian Division in Germany instead. Depending on operational needs NATO's Allied Mobile Force (Land) might have been deployed to Northern Norway. The US Army's 10th Mountain Division was expected to ship out to Norway within 10 days after a Soviet attack in case the situation required additional allied reinforcements.
The US military maintained three small units in Northern Norway.
United States European Command
US Navy
Fleet Hospital Support Facility 8, in Bogen to maintain the stored Fleet Hospital Eight
US Coast Guard
LORAN-C Transmitting Station Bø, in Bø
LORAN-C Transmitting Station Jan Mayen, on Jan Mayen
