At the dock at Haakonsvern, she makes the Norwegian frigates puzzle out.
The logistics ship KNM “Maud” is the navy’s largest ship. Although she is not armed with missiles or anti-aircraft defenses, the ship was often referred to as the pride of the navy at a value of NOK 2.2 billion.
According to TV 2’s information, the Norwegian Navy has taken shortcuts in the recruitment of the most important position on the ship.
The ship commanders on KNM “Maud” have not been through a so-called commander selection, a clearance or test that all ship commanders in the Norwegian Navy must go through.
KNM “MAUD”: In March 2019, the ship “hem” arrived at the dock at Haakonsvern after several major delays in delivery. The ship is the largest Norwegian naval vessel ever. Photo: Ivar Lid Riise / TV 2
Career position
The position of ship commander is a prestigious and absolutely central position in the Norwegian Navy. The captains are in command of the vessel and crew, and are responsible for the operation of the ship in peace, crisis and war.
It is, for example, the ship’s commander who makes decisions related to activities with increased risk.
KNM “Maud” currently has two captains. None of them is chief selected.
– How can the Navy be sure that these are suitable for the role, when they have not been through commander selection?
– Both are among the most experienced sailors in the Navy. For these two, the Norwegian Navy has assessed that it is not necessary to carry out a separate selection course, but we see it as likely that we will carry out a commander selection for future commanders.
This is what Trond Gimmingsrund, head of the Navy, writes in an e-mail to TV 2.
But this violates the Navy’s own order.
NOT LEARNED? After the accident of Helge Ingstad, a number of changes were made in how the Norwegian Navy clears and selects the most senior officers. But the head of the Navy, Trond Gimmingsrud, does not have a command course on the two ship commanders on KNM “Maud” – the Navy’s largest vessel. Photo: Isac S. Kvello / TV 2
Must be selected
In 2006, it was ordered from the Norwegian Navy’s management that all ship commanders should be commander-selected.
This applied to all vessels – from submarines, corvettes, coast guard ships, battleships 90 and frigates – and quality assurance was to ensure that the ship’s commanders were suitable for their role.
The selection is a very careful, and often several weeks long process, where the candidates must be trusted as a top leader on board a military ship.
And the chief selection is not just for decoration.
The navy has rejected candidates for selection. One of the two ship commanders on KNM “Maud” has himself failed the commander’s course – on another military vessel.
COMBAT BOAT: All commanders on military vessels must be selected to quality check their knowledge of, among other things, navigation and warfare. Photo: US Marine / Miguel Rosales
To ensure competence
– The navy carries out commander selection to ensure that our ship commanders can lead their vessels in peace, crisis and war, says Gimmingsrund.
But it is precisely this course – the chief selection – that the two ship commanders at KNM “Maud” do not have.
The navy commander says that the commander’s courses have a strong focus on tactical use of the vessels, and the candidates must show that they can take care of both vessels and crew.
THE BALTIC SEA: In September, KNM “Maud” took part in an exercise in the Baltic Sea together with allies. Above her here, American and British helicopters fly. Photo: Paul Ignatius / US Marine
– Before you can start on a commander’s course, you must be a trusted watch commander and at the same time fulfill all civilian certificate requirements, he says.
Got the job, without the course
The first ship commander on KNM “Maud” got the job already in 2013, the same year that the Norwegian Armed Forces signed the contract for the new logistics vessel.
Although the ship did not return home to Bergen from the shipyard in South Korea until March 2019, the Norwegian Navy has had plenty of time to get the ship’s commanders through a commander’s course and selection, if they were keen to follow their own orders.
PRIDE OF THE NAVY: The ship is huge: five times the size of a frigate in tonnage. KNM “Maud” has hangar space for two helicopters, its own workshop and is a “full-fledged” hospital with 44 beds. The ship was a long-awaited contribution to the Allied fleet. Photo: Keith Nowak/US Navy
The navy confirms that an order was issued regarding the selection of chiefs in 2006.
– Having said that, chief selection has been introduced on all the vessel types that were covered by the order at the time, says Gimmingsrud.
Can strike out candidates
– However, the navy has had a long tradition of commander’s courses. In connection with the commander’s courses, it is common that not all candidates pass – this happens on all vessel types, says Gimmingsrud.
– Even if you have not been cleared on a vessel type, it is normal to either try again or to change vessel type and be cleared as commander there after having acquired the necessary competence.
