Total Defence Year 2026

In 2026, Norway mobilizes for a new security reality. Totalforsvarsåret (Total Defence Year) is a national effort coordinated by DSB and the Armed Forces to strengthen Norway’s collective resilience against crisis and war.

Digital infrastructure is at the heart of this effort. When hospitals, government services, energy systems, and communications all depend on digital systems — cybersecurity and data sovereignty become questions of national survival.

What Is Total Defence?

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Total defence (totalforsvar) is the principle that all of society must contribute to national security — not just the military. It encompasses:

• Civil preparedness — Emergency services, healthcare, food supply, energy
• Military defence — Armed forces and national security
• Civil-military cooperation — Coordination between sectors during crisis

The concept dates back to Norway’s Cold War planning but was deprioritized after 1990. Russia’s war against Ukraine and the changing security landscape have brought it back with urgency.

The Totalberedskapsmeldingen

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In January 2025, the Norwegian government presented Totalberedskapsmeldingen — a white paper with over 100 measures to strengthen civil resilience:

Why Digital Preparedness Matters

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Modern society cannot function without digital systems. This creates new vulnerabilities:

The Threat Is Real

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From Norway’s 2025 threat assessments:

• GPS jamming: 294 days of jamming in Finnmark in 2023 — now so constant that tracking stopped
• Sabotage: 40 confirmed or planned Russian sabotage operations across Europe in 2024
• Cyber attacks: A Norwegian dam was hacked by pro-Russian actors in April 2025
• Cable attacks: Multiple undersea cables cut in the Baltic Sea

PST Chief Beate Gangås warned: “The threats from state actors against Norway are more unpredictable, more extensive, and more demanding than in many decades.”

Digital Dependencies Create Vulnerabilities

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While Norway strengthens physical defences, digital dependencies grow:

• 63% of the Norwegian cloud market is controlled by Microsoft
• 81% is controlled by American companies
• 96% of government agencies use cloud services
• All subject to the US CLOUD Act

Read more: War Fear and Digital Dependency →

Three Pillars of Digital Resilience

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1. Data Sovereignty

Data stored in Norway, under Norwegian jurisdiction, cannot be seized or blocked by foreign powers. This matters for sensitive data about critical infrastructure, defence, and citizens.

Explore Norwegian cloud providers →

2. Robust Systems

Systems must be designed to function under attack. This means redundancy, offline capability, and rapid recovery.

Understand vendor lock-in risks →

3. National Competence

Norway needs its own expertise to operate critical digital infrastructure. Outsourcing to foreign actors creates vulnerability.

Read about the developer’s role →

Events in 2026

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Throughout the year, conferences and exercises focus on total defence, cybersecurity, and digital preparedness.

TFX26: The Main Event

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Øvelse Totalforsvar 2026 (TFX26) in October will be Norway’s largest total defence exercise since the Cold War. It will test:

• Civil-military cooperation
• Critical infrastructure resilience
• Digital crisis management
• Cross-sector coordination

Organizations in critical sectors should prepare for participation or impact.

For IT Leaders and Security Professionals

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Total Defence Year is an opportunity to elevate digital preparedness in your organization.

Map Your Dependencies

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• Where is your most critical data stored?
• Which providers are you dependent on?
• What happens if a cloud service becomes unavailable for a week?

Use the NDSI framework →

Explore Alternatives

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Norwegian and European alternatives exist for most critical systems.

Browse Norwegian providers →

Understand Regulatory Requirements

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NIS2 and other regulations set new requirements for critical infrastructure security.

Browse relevant laws →

Build Exit Strategies

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Can you export your data? How long would migration take? Have you tested recovery?

Read about exit strategies →

Related Resources

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On SovereignSky

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• Norwegian Digital Sovereignty Index (NDSI) — Framework for measuring sovereignty readiness
• Totalberedskapsmeldingen summary — The government white paper explained
• The Hybrid War Is Already Here — Why digital sovereignty can’t wait
• Laws and Regulations — NIS2, GDPR, and relevant frameworks

Official Sources

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• DSB — Totalforsvarsåret — Official information from DSB
• NSM Risiko 2025 — National Security Authority risk assessment
• Forsvaret — Totalforsvar — Armed Forces information on total defence
• Norsk TotalforsvarsForum — NGO promoting total defence awareness

Take Action

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NSM Director Haugstøyl warned: “It’s no longer about whether it happens, but when it happens.”

The warnings have been given. The question is what your organization will do about it.

Start today:

1. Assess your sovereignty readiness
2. Map your legal exposure
3. Explore Norwegian alternatives
4. Build your exit strategy