Rear Admiral (ret) Lars Saunes serves as Professor at US Naval War College as CNO Distinguished International fellow where he is the co-lead for Newport Arctic Scholars initiative. He retired as Chief of the Royal Norwegian Navy in August 2017.

​

Education

Lars Saunes joined the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1980 and graduated from the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy in 1984. Radm Saunes went through the Norwegian Naval Staff College in 1990 and the Norwegian Defense Command and Staff College in 2000. He is a graduate from the US Naval Command College (2004) and the Norwegian National Defense College Information Courses. He is an alumni from US Flag officer course at Darden University, North Carolina, and George C Marshall European Center for Security Studies.

​

Service

Rear Admiral Saunes started his naval career as a professional submarine in 1984. He has operational experience from NATO, National HQs, and Norwegian High Command/Joint Staff. He has held flag position as Commandant of the Norwegian Coast Guard and Chief of Royal Norwegian Navy. In his position as Chief of Royal Norwegian Navy he has established the Norwegian Maritime Doctrine for Naval operations, Strategic concept for the Norwegian Navy 2016-40 «In operation or preparing for operation», to meet Norwegian maritime security challenges in the northern region of Europe and in the Arctic. He has been a key speaker in many international seminars and forums like the North Atlantic Coast guard forum, Arctic Security forces Round table, Center for Strategic and International Studies, The Marshall center, as well as many national and international military symposiums.

​

Commands

Submarines HNOMS Utsira, HNOMS Uthaug, and HNOMS Uredd, CTG430.01 Norwegian task group, CTG430.02 National SUBOPAUTH, CTG430.03 Commander Coast Guard.

​

Awards

Defense Service medal with Laurel branch, Defense service medal with stars, National service medal with stars, Legion of Merit commander (US), Officier de la Legion D’honneor (Fr), Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr in Gold (Ge).

Radm(R) Lars Saunes is married to Ingrid Sperre Saunes and they enjoy New England from Newport RI