Defence

The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) is tasked with investigating accidents and serious incidents in the defence sector within the limits outlined in the Act of 16 December 2016 No 92 relating to the investigation of accidents and incidents in the Norwegian Armed Forces (the Defence Accident Investigation Act) and the Regulations adopted pursuant to the Act.

The Act applies on Norwegian territory, including Svalbard, Jan Mayen and the Norwegian dependencies. The Act also applies on Norwegian craft, including aircraft, and on fixed and floating offshore installations. The Act is also applicable to the Norwegian Armed Forces’ activities abroad, unless the relationship to other state’s legislation, international agreements or other international law prevents it.

The purpose of the investigations is to improve safety in the defence sector. The NSIA shall not take a stance on whether there are grounds for disciplinary action or apportion blame and liability under civil or criminal law. The investigations shall be conducted independently of other investigations or inquiries wholly or partly conducted for such purposes.

The investigating authority shall be a professionally independent expert body. It shall perform its tasks independently and cannot be instructed on issues relating to its areas of expertise. If material security policy interests or Norway’s relationship to other countries so indicate, the Ministry of Defence may decide to limit the investigating authority’s work, or to discontinue investigations in the defence sector, cf. Section 13 of the Defence Accident Investigation Act.

The investigating authority shall clarify the sequence of events and causal factors underlying the accident or incident for use in the defence sector’s preventive safety work.

Following investigations, the NSIA shall prepare and publish an unclassified report. If necessary, appendices to the report may be classified pursuant to the Security Act. The report, including any recommendations, shall be submitted to the Armed Forces and other relevant authorities for follow-up.

The NSIA has a dedicated 24-hour duty telephone number for follow-up of accidents and incidents in the defence sector.

The NSIA’s responsibility for following up accidents and incidents in the defence sector is divided between the Aviation Department, the Marine Department and the Road Traffic and Land Defence Department.

The Aviation Department’s work is led by Head of Department Kåre Halvorsen. Halvorsen is also responsible for coordinating the NSIA’s day-to-day follow-up of the Defence Accident Investigation Act and pertaining Regulations.

The Marine Department’s work is led by Head of Department Dag S Liseth.

The work of the Road Traffic and Land Defence Department is led by Head of Department Ingvild K. Ytrehus.