Allied Forces North Norway (NON) 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. Its 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 [
no]. Incoming allied units would have come under the command of these three deputy commanders.[1]
Structure in 1989
NON had the following units at its disposal to fight an attack by the
Soviet Union's
6th Army:
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:
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
Royal Navy:
3 Commando Brigade including 1 Amphibious Combat Group and Whiskey Company of the
Netherlands Marine Corps.[5] The brigade trained annually in Northern Norway and had large stores of vehicles and supplies pre-positioned there.