Denmark to Increase Military Presence in the Arctic 0 15

Denmark has signed an agreement to purchase an additional 16 American F-35 fighter jets, which will increase the number of such aircraft in the country's armed forces to 43, the Ministry of Defense of the kingdom reported. The head of the department, Troels Lund Poulsen, stated that this will be a "historic strengthening of the Danish Air Force." The details of the deal are currently being discussed, including the possibility of expedited delivery. In addition to the F-35s themselves, the package will include deployment kits, spare parts, threat simulators, flight simulators, training equipment, parachute braking systems, and CCA-class companion drones, which allow for an increased operational range of the fighters as well as the number of tasks performed in a single combat sortie.

The Chief of Staff of Denmark, Michael Hildgor, called the expansion of the F-35 fleet a "key decision in strengthening the armed forces," as the fighters "already play a crucial role in both combat operations and asserting sovereignty." He also noted that this deal increases the country's contribution to NATO. In addition, Denmark will increase its military presence in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. The corresponding agreement, signed "in close cooperation" with the governments of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, will be included in the defense treaty for 2024–2033. The document provides for the purchase of additional military equipment worth 27.4 billion kroner (3.7 billion euros). Among the largest expenditures are the acquisition of two ships, one patrol aircraft, drones, as well as an underwater cable. Furthermore, plans are in place to build a new headquarters for the Joint Arctic Command.

In early October, Danish intelligence accused Russia of conducting a hybrid war against the West, considering Moscow responsible for the appearance of drones over airports and critical infrastructure in European countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin denies any involvement in this matter.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Denmark sharply increased its military budget: from about $5.5 billion in 2022, it rose to $9.29 billion in 2025. In February, the country's government announced that it would allocate an additional 50 billion kroner (nearly $8 billion) over the next two years to reach defense spending of 3% of GDP. Among other things, Denmark intends to purchase long-range weapons in case of a Russian attack.