General Sigurd Frisvold (57) has served as Chief of Defence since 1999 and, when he leaves office in April, he will remain at the disposal of the Ministry of Defence until he retires on pension.

Minister of Defence Kristin Krohn Devold has much praise for the work that Chief of Defence Sigurd Frisvold has done towards restructuring and improving the Armed Forces:

“Sigurd Frisvold has done a very good job during the years he has been Chief of Defence. His achievements since appointment to the post in 1999 have included the preparation of proposals for two long-term programmes forming the basis of the two 4‑year plans (2001-2005 and 2005-2008) which have since been approved and adopted by the Government and the Storting. The many positive reports received from our allies about our contribution to international operations confirm that there has indeed been a significant improvement in the quality of our armed forces. I have the greatest regard for Sigurd Frisvold and I value most highly the close cooperation that we have enjoyed.”

“Now that Sigurd Frisvold wishes to relinquish his post in April next year, it is with pleasure and high expectations that I warmly welcome Sverre Diesen as his successor,” says Defence Minister Kristin Krohn Devold. Lieutenant General Sverre Diesen’s wide experience fits him well for this demanding task. He has been working closely with the present Chief of Defence on the current defence restructuring and he has a broad and varied military background including service as Land Forces Commander at Jåtta and Reitan, as well as extensive staff training and command experience.”

Lieutenant General Sverre Diesen (55) was born in Oslo. He was appointed to the Ministry of Defence in 2003 when the top level civil and military leadership was integrated in the newly reorganised Ministry of Defence. In 2002-2003 General Diesen served as Command Land Forces at the Joint Operational Headquarters in Stavanger before which, in 2001-2002, he was land forces commander at Defence Command North Norway at Reitan / Commander, District Command North Norway at Harstad. Over the period 1998-2001 he led the Strategic and Long-term Planning Department at Headquarters Defence Command Norway where he also led the work of preparing Defence Study 2000.

Sverre Diesen’s other postings have included Chief of Staff with 6 ^th> Division in North Norway, Commanding Officer of HM the King’s Guard, principal lecturer on tactics at the Norwegian Military Academy, and instructor at the Infantry’s School of Shooting and Winter Warfare. In 1981 he served as second-in-command of a British mechanised rifle company with the British Army of the Rhine in Germany.

Sverre Diesen graduated as a chartered engineer from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and he has also attended both Norwegian and British Staff Colleges.

“I look forward to continuing the comprehensive work of defence modernisation that has been initiated and led by General Sigurd Frisvold. In parallel with the modernisation process, the Armed Forces also have to carry out the day-to-day activities associated with a wide variety of current missions both at home and abroad, missions which make very considerable demands on both personnel and materiel. The task which I shall be taking on in April is one that I approach with great respect,” says Lieutenant General Sverre Diesen.