Johan Norlén

Johan Norlén
Born (1971-01-22) 22 January 1971 (age 53)
AllegianceSweden
Service / branchSwedish Navy
Years of service1994–present
RankRear Admiral
CommandsHSwMS Härnösand (K33)
31st Corvette Division
Chief of Navy

Rear Admiral Johan Norlén (born 22 January 1971) is a Swedish Navy officer. He currently serves as Chief of Navy. Norlén became a naval officer in 1994 and has held various roles aboard surface combat ships and within military staffs. He pursued advanced studies in France and Sweden, including at the École de Guerre and the Swedish Defence University. Promoted to captain in 2020 and rear admiral (lower half) in 2023, he served in key leadership positions, including commanding the 31st Corvette Division and later acting as a military adviser at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. On 14 November 2024, he became Chief of Navy, succeeding Rear Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum.

Early life

Norlén graduated from Lerums gymnasium in Lerum in 1990.[1]

Career

Norlén became a naval officer in 1994 and served in various roles aboard surface combat ships and within different staffs.[2] He attended the École militaire and the Ecole de Guerre in France.[1] From 2006 to 2008, he studied at the Swedish Defence University, earning a bachelor's degree, and later attended the Collège interarmées de Défense [fr] in Paris from 2009 to 2010.[3]

In March 2016, he assumed command of the 31st Corvette Division (31. korvettdivisionen) in Karlskrona, a position he held until September 2017.[4][3] During this time, from October 2014 to August 2016, he also served as commanding officer of the corvette HSwMS Härnösand (K33).[5]

From October 2017 to December 2019, Norlén served as Chief of the Planning Section in the Naval Staff.[3] On 1 January 2020, he was promoted to captain and assigned to the Materiel and Logistics Division, Defense Logistics Office (Material- och logistikdivisionen, Försvarslogistikdetaljen) within the Defence Staff's Plans and Finance Department (LEDS PLANEK) at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters in Stockholm.[6] On 1 December 2021, he was appointed Head of P/G within the same department.[7]

In September 2022, Norlén attended the Institut des hautes études de défense nationale and the Centre des hautes études militaires [fr] in Paris, completing his studies there between 2022 and 2023.[3]

He was promoted to rear admiral (lower half) on 15 October 2023, and the following day was seconded to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as a military adviser.[8] On 14 November 2024, Norlén succeeded Rear Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum as Chief of Navy. The handover ceremony took place at Berga Naval Base, during which he was promoted to rear admiral.[2][9]

Dates of rank

Awards and decorations

Honours

References

  1. ^ a b "Johan Norlén". Facebook. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b Adamsson, Jimmie (8 November 2024). "Johan Norlén ny marinchef" [Johan Norlén new navy chief] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Johan Norlén". LinkedIn. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  4. ^ "I början av veckan var det chefsbyte på 31.korvettdivisionen. Mats Agneus lämnade över befälet till Johan Norlén. Tack Mats och lycka till Johan!" [At the beginning of the week, there was a change of command at the 31st Corvette Division. Mats Agneus handed over the command to Johan Norlén. Thanks Mats and good luck Johan!]. 3rd Naval Warfare Flotilla. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2024 – via Facebook.
  5. ^ "Under sommaren tar John Theander över efter Johan Norlén som fartygschef på HMS Härnösand" [During the summer, John Theander takes over from Johan Norlén as commander of HMS Härnösand]. 3rd Naval Warfare Flotilla. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2024 – via Facebook.
  6. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 8. 2020. SELIBR 4109339.
  7. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 10. 2022. SELIBR 4109339.
  8. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (5). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2023. SELIBR 4109339.
  9. ^ "Pressinbjudan: Ceremoni ny Marinchef" (Press release) (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024 – via Mynewsdesk.
  10. ^ "Johan Norlén" (in Swedish). Royal Court of Sweden. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Nya ledamöter invalda i Kungl. Örlogsmannasällskapet" [New members elected to the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences] (in Swedish). Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Nya ledamöter i Kungl. Krigsvetenskapsakademien" [New members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences] (in Swedish). Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Navy
2024–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent