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 Tromsø22nd Fast Attack Craft SquadronRamsund Naval Base near NarvikSortland Naval Base in SortlandCoastal ArtilleryNordland county:Bremnes Fortress in BodøOfotfjord defenses to protect NarvikKorshamn Torpedo Battery in BallangenPorsøy Torpedo Battery in BallangenNes Fort in Lødingen with 2x 120mm Tornautomatpjäs m/70 automatic gunsTjeldøy Fort in TjeldsundTroms county:Andfjorden defenses to protect HarstadSandsøy Fort on SandsøyaMeløyvær Fortress on Krøttøya with 3x 120mm Tornautomatpjäs m/70 automatic gunsSkrolsvik Fort in SkrollsvikaTrondenes Fort in HarstadGrøtavær Fort on GrytøyaStangnes Fort in HarstadMalangen Fjord and Gisundet defenses, covering the Northern entry of the AndfjordenMalangen Torpedo Battery in TennskjærRødbergodden Fort in AglapsvikGibostad Fort in GibostadSkorliodden Fort in VangshamnTromsø defensesGrøtsund Fort covering the Northern side of TromsøBreiviknes Fort in Ramfjordbotn with 3x 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 automatic guns covering the Northern entry of the Grøtsundet and the UllsfjordenÅrøybukt Fort in Lyngseidet with 3x 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 automatic guns to defend the LyngenfjordCommander 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 WingBodø Air Station132nd Air Wing331st Fighter/Bomber Squadron with 18x F-16A334th Fighter/Bomber Squadron with 18x F-16A719th Transport Squadron with 3x DHC-6 Twin Otter and 6x UH-1BNorwegian Adapted Hawk air-defense battery with 3x Hawk launchers and 3x 40mm L/70 radar-guided anti-aircraft gunsSearch and Rescue Detachment from the 330th Helicopter Squadron with 2x Sea King Mk43Bardufoss Air Station139th Air Wing337th Helicopter Squadron with 6x Lynx Mk.86339th Helicopter Squadron with 12x Bell 412Norwegian Adapted Hawk air-defense battery with 3x Hawk launchers and 3x 40mm L/70 radar-guided anti-aircraft gunsAndøya Air Station133rd Air Wing333rd Squadron with 6x P-3C OrionNorwegian Adapted Hawk air-defense battery with 3x Hawk launchers and 3x 40mm L/70 radar-guided anti-aircraft gunsBanak Air StationSearch and Rescue Detachment from the 330th Helicopter Squadron with 2x Sea King Mk43Norwegian 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 NarvikCommander Land Forces North Norway
Commander Land Forces North Norway (LANDNON), commanded by a Norwegian major general:6th Division in HarstadBrigade North Norway in Bardufoss (Active unit)Brigade Staff Company in Heggelia1st Armored Infantry Battalion in Setermoen with 26 Leopard 1 tanks, 29x NM135 infantry fighting vehicles2nd Infantry Battalion in Øverbygd with Bandvagn 206, 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x M106 mortar carriers3rd Infantry Battalion in Harstad with Bandvagn 206, 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x M106 mortar carriersField Artillery Battalion in Setermoen with 18x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzersReconnaissance Squadron in Øverbygd with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehiclesAnti-tank Missile Company in Setermoen with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanksAnti-Aircraft Battery in Heggelia with 6x NM195 anti-air missile vehicles and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft gunsEngineer Company in ØverbygdMounted Squadron in Øverbygd with pack horsesSignal Company in HeggeliaSupply Company in HeggeliaTransport Company in HeggeliaMaintenance Company in HeggeliaMedical Company in SetermoenArtillery Observation Platoon in Setermoen with 2x Cessna O-1A planesMilitary Police Platoon in HeggeliaBrigade 14 (Norwegian Home Guard District 14 mobilization unit) in Mosjøen1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortarsField Artillery Battalion with 24x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzersReconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehiclesAnti-tank Missile Company with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanksAnti-Aircraft Battery with 6x RBS 70 man-portable air-defense systems and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft gunsEngineer CompanyBrigade 15 (Norwegian Home Guard District 15 and Norwegian Home Guard District 16 mobilization unit) in Bardu1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortarsField Artillery Battalion with 18x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzersReconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehiclesAnti-tank Missile Company with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanksAnti-Aircraft Battery with 6x RBS 70 man-portable air-defense systems and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft gunsEngineer CompanyGarnisonen i Sør-Varanger (Active unit based at the Soviet-Norwegian border) in HøybuktmoenVaranger Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortarsArtillery Battery with 6x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzersGarnisonen i Porsanger (Active unit) in PorsangmoenPorsanger Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortarsTank Company with 13x Leopard 1 tanksArtillery Battery with 6x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzersHålogaland Engineer BattalionHålogaland Signal BattalionHålogaland Medical BattalionBjerkvik Maintenance WorkshopNorwegian 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 mortarsArtillery Battery with 6x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzersNorwegian 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 mortarsNON 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 Norway1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortarsField Artillery Battalion with 18x M109G 155mm self-propelled howitzersReconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehiclesAnti-tank Missile Company with 4x NM142 ATGM carriers and 4x NM116 light tanksAnti-Aircraft Battery with 6x RBS 70 man-portable air-defense systems and 6x 40mm L/60 anti-aircraft gunsEngineer CompanyArtillery Observation Platoon with 2x Cessna O-1A planesBrigade 6 (Norwegian Home Guard District 6 mobilization unit) in Hønefoss in Eastern Norway, equipment pre-positioned in Northern Norway1st Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars2nd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortars3rd Infantry Battalion with Bandvagn 206, 4x TOW ATGM missile launchers and 4x M30 107mm mortarsField Artillery Battalion with 24x M114 155mm towed howitzersReconnaissance Squadron with 3x NM135 infantry fighting vehiclesNATO 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 squadronUS 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 squadronRoyal Air Force: one Jaguar fighter-bomber squadronUntil 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 CommandUS NavyFleet Hospital Support Facility 8, in Bogen to maintain the stored Fleet Hospital EightUS Coast GuardLORAN-C Transmitting Station Bø, in BøLORAN-C Transmitting Station Jan Mayen, on Jan Mayen
