Norway to boost draft by 50%

The Norwegian government aims to increase its conscription intake to 13,600 individuals per year by 2036, as announced by Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram. Currently, around 9,000 are conscripted annually, which is 15% of each age group, but with the new target, the aim is to conscript 25%. The increase is due to the current security situation, referencing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The government also plans a significant billion-kroner investment in the Terningmoen defense facility in Elverum, to boost its intake capability from 300 to 1,800 recruits quarterly and create up to 400 new positions. Norway’s move to expand military education capacity and personnel with the right skills is part of a forthcoming defense long-term plan to be presented on Friday. The plan arrives amidst Denmark’s recent defense proposal reforms, which introduce full equality and a service extension in its conscription policy.