Norwegian Intelligence Service
Encyclopedia
Etterretningstjenesten or the Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) is a Norwegian
military intelligence agency
under the Chief of Defence and the Ministry of Defence
.
The service has operated, or still operates, the following stations, all of them located north of the Arctic Circle
:
Kirkenes, Vardø, and Vadsø are close to the Russia
n border near Severomorsk
in the Murmansk district
on the Kola Peninsula
, the home of the former Soviet Northern Fleet and now its Russian equivalent.
In 1995, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Intelligence Service had operated a stay-behind
service in cooperation with the CIA and MI6 since the end of World War II
.
is a purpose built ELINT ship. Several Marjatas have been used over the years. During the Cold War
it was always stationed near the Soviet border and the current Marjata is still operating out of the ports of Finnmark
in the Northern part of Norway. The Marjata has always been looked upon as an annoyance by the Soviet Union
/ Russia
and some years ago, Norwegian authorities received criticism because of the ship overlooking the process of lifting the sunken Russia
n submarine
Kursk
. The Marjata was also involved in surveillance of what happened during that day of the tragic incident of that submarine
. In general, Russia thinks that the ship operates too close to Russia's territorial waters. The Marjata has been called many things, an intelligence ship, an ELINT ship, a research ship and a spy ship. The ship is operated by the Norwegian Intelligence Service and is considered to be one of the most advanced spy ships in the world.
Norwegian links
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/article344119
http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2001/04/25/254089.html
(Seksjon for spesiell innhenting) is/was a highly classified section within the Intelligence Service, focusing on covert missions abroad. For a period, the section was led by Ola Kaldager. Agents include the late Trond André Bolle
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
military intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
under the Chief of Defence and the Ministry of Defence
Norwegian Ministry of Defence
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence is a Norwegian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of the activities of subordinate agencies. The ministry is located at Glacisgata 1, Oslo,...
.
The service has operated, or still operates, the following stations, all of them located north of the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
:
- AndøyAndøyAndøy is the northernmost municipality in Nordland county, Norway, and it belongs to the Vesterålen archipelago. The largest island in the municipality is Andøya. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Andenes....
a (NordlandNordlandis a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
county): former SOSUSSOSUSSOSUS, an acronym for Sound Surveillance System, is a chain of underwater listening posts across the northern Atlantic Ocean near Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom — the GIUK gap. It was originally operated by the United States Navy for tracking Soviet submarines, which had to pass...
station, suspected ACINT station - FauskeFauskeis a town and municipality located in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Fauske with approximately 6,000 inhabitants....
(Nordland county): suspected FISINTFISINTFISINT stands for Foreign Instrumentation Signals INTelligence from the intercept of foreign electromagnetic emissions associated with the testing and operational deployment of non-US aerospace, surface, and subsurface systems." Since it deals with signals that are not exchanged by humans, it is...
(TELINT) and ELINT station - KirkenesKirkenesis a town in the municipality of Sør-Varanger in the county of Finnmark in the far northeast of Norway...
(FinnmarkFinnmarkor Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
county): suspected ELINT and NUCINT station - VardøVardøis a town and a municipality in Finnmark county in the extreme northeast part of Norway.Vardø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The law required that all cities should be separated from their rural districts, but because of a low population and very few voters, this was...
(Finnmark county): the Globus IIGlobus IIGlobus II is a radar station located at in Vardø, Norway, near the Russian border.-Purpose and use:The site is administrated by the Norwegian Intelligence Service who state the radar is used for:*Space surveillance...
radar (HAVE STAREAN/FPS-129The AN/FPS-129 HAVE STARE radar, known better as the Globus II radar, is a space surveillance system operated by the Norwegian Intelligence Service. Its stated tasks are to watch outer space, observe Norwegian areas of interest abroad, and to gather information that can be used within the fields of...
), suspected ELINT station - VadsøVadsøis a city and municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality and the county of Finnmark....
(Finnmark county): SIGINTSIGINTSignals intelligence is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people , whether involving electronic signals not directly used in communication , or combinations of the two...
(COMINT) station
Kirkenes, Vardø, and Vadsø are close to the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n border near Severomorsk
Severomorsk
Severomorsk is a closed town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located about north of Murmansk along the Kola Bay. Population: This is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet. Severomorsk has the largest drydock on the Kola Peninsula....
in the Murmansk district
Murmansk Oblast
Murmansk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the northwestern part of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Murmansk.-Geography:...
on the Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
, the home of the former Soviet Northern Fleet and now its Russian equivalent.
In 1995, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Intelligence Service had operated a stay-behind
Stay-behind
In a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organisations in its own territory, for use in the event that the territory is overrun by an enemy. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, or would act as spies from behind enemy lines...
service in cooperation with the CIA and MI6 since the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Marjata
The Norwegian intelligence ship, MarjataMarjata
The F/S «Marjata» is a purpose-built electronic intelligence collection vessel . She is the third ship that bears the name «Marjata», all of which has been used for military intelligence purposes by the Norwegian Armed Forces...
is a purpose built ELINT ship. Several Marjatas have been used over the years. During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
it was always stationed near the Soviet border and the current Marjata is still operating out of the ports of Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
in the Northern part of Norway. The Marjata has always been looked upon as an annoyance by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
/ Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and some years ago, Norwegian authorities received criticism because of the ship overlooking the process of lifting the sunken Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
Kursk
Kursk
Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
. The Marjata was also involved in surveillance of what happened during that day of the tragic incident of that submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
. In general, Russia thinks that the ship operates too close to Russia's territorial waters. The Marjata has been called many things, an intelligence ship, an ELINT ship, a research ship and a spy ship. The ship is operated by the Norwegian Intelligence Service and is considered to be one of the most advanced spy ships in the world.
Norwegian links
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/uriks/article344119
http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2001/04/25/254089.html
E 14
E 14 (Norway)E 14 (Norway)
E 14 was a unit within the Intelligence Service of Norway. The section was focusing on covert missions abroad. This particular unit was active from 1995 to 2005. The original section consisted of 140 individuals...
(Seksjon for spesiell innhenting) is/was a highly classified section within the Intelligence Service, focusing on covert missions abroad. For a period, the section was led by Ola Kaldager. Agents include the late Trond André Bolle
Trond André Bolle
Trond André Bolle was a Norwegian military officer and a commando of Marinejegerkommandoen, with the rank of orlogskaptein. He was awarded War Cross ....
.