The Armoured Battalion ( no, Panserbataljonen) is the first battalion and an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

unit of the

Norwegian Army The Norwegian Army ( no, Hæren) is the land warfare service branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Army is the oldest of the Norwegian service branches, established as a modern military organization under the command of the King of Norway ...

. Although it is categorised as an armoured unit, the battalion (strictly a battlegroup) primarily serves in the

mechanised infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...

role. As with the Telemark Bataljon it also has a tank squadron equipped with the

Leopard 2 The Leopard 2 is a 3rd generation main battle tank originally developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s for the West German army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the West Ger ...

main battle tank. It was formed in 1987 and has participated in several international operations in the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

(

KFOR KFOR may refer to: * KFOR (AM), a radio station (1240 AM) licensed to Lincoln, Nebraska, United States * KFOR-TV, a television station (channel 4 analog/27 digital) licensed to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States * KFOR-TV (Nebraska), a defun ...

) and in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

(

ISAF ' ps, کمک او همکاري ' , allies = Afghanistan , opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda , commander1 = , commander1_label = Commander , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , command ...

). The battalion is recognised as a cavalry unit for ceremonial purposes, so its enlisted soldiers are referred to as

dragoons Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...

as opposed to privates, as is the case in most of the Norwegian Army.

Organization

*Stridsvogneskadronen – The second squadron, known as ESK2, Strv esk 2 or Stridsvogneskadronen (The Armoured Squadron) is the battalion's main strike weapon. The squadron operates with the

main battle tank A main battle tank (MBT), also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the role of armor-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War-era development of more powerful engines, better suspension sys ...

. The unit colour is red. *Stormeskadron 3 – The third squadron, known as ESK3 or Stormeskadron 3 (Assault Squadron 3). The squadron's role is to support ESK2 with mechanised infantry support. The squadron is based on quick and aggressive assaults with infantry squads supported by their CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. The unit colour is yellow. The Motto of the squadron is "Semper Paratus", which means always ready. *Stormeskadron 4 – The fourth squadron, known as ESK4 or Stormeskadron 4 (Assault Squadron 4). The squadron has the same role as that of ESK3. The unit colour is green, and their motto " Gulo ad arma, Plus Ultra" meaning "Wolverines to battle, continue forward" is in reference to their ability to push forward in combat. *Kavalerieskadronen – The fifth squadron, known as ESK5, KavEsk or Kavalerieskadronen (The Cavalry Squadron) is a reconnaissance unit. Its roles also include artillery observation and sharpshooters. It also uses the CV90

infantry fighting vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct-fire support. The 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed F ...

. The unit colour is blue. The Armoured Reconnaissance platoon in ESK1 has the motto "Primus Intrat, Exit Novissimus" meaning "First in, last out". *Kampstøtteeskadronen – The sixth squadron, known as ESK6 or Kampstøtte Eskadron 6 (Combat Support Squadron 6). The largest and most complex of the battalion's units, its capabilities include logistics support, repair and recovery, signals, medevac and mortar support. The unit is also responsible for the protection and operation of the battalion's base of operations. The unit colour is black. The squadron motto is "Volens et Potens" which means willing and able. *Minkebataljonen – During operations the battalion is usually supported by elements of the Combat Service support battalion, Engineer battalion, Intelligence battalion, Artillery battalion and Medical Battalion as well as Military police and other elements that may be attached depending on the mission. This combat group is known as Minkebataljonen. The motto of the battalion is ''

Bitit fyrst Bitit is a small town and rural commune in El Hajeb Province of the Fès-Meknès Fès-Meknès or Fez-Meknes ( ar, فاس-مكناس, fās maknās; ber, ⴼⴰⵙ-ⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ, fas mknas) is among the twelve Regions of Morocco. It has a po ...

'' (Old Norse for "Strike First"), referring to the offensive role of the battalion.

External links

Norwegian Army page on Panserbattaljonen (in Norwegian)
Battalions of Norway Military units and formations established in 1987 1987 establishments in Norway {{Norway-mil-stub