The Danish Social Democratic government, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, has announced a $615 million investment to modernize Denmark‘s naval fleet by 2033 with the purchase of 25 new military vessels. This initiative aims to strengthen surveillance and defense of Denmark’s territorial waters and the Baltic Sea, amid growing concerns over hybrid warfare following incidents like the suspected sabotage of Gotland’s water supply. The plan includes four multifunctional ships for environmental protection and 21 vessels for the Naval Home Guard. One of the environmental ships will be equipped with drones and sonar to monitor underwater activity, along with capabilities to clean up chemical and oil spills. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen justified the investment despite the navy’s current fleet—three Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates and two Absalon-class frigates—still having service years left. Operational issues in recent years, including a weapons system failure on an Iver Huitfeldt frigate and a malfunctioning Harpoon missile booster on the Niels Juel, highlighted the need for modernization. Denmark also renewed a defense pact with Finland to enhance Baltic cooperation, joint NATO training, and shared defense procurements like aerial refueling tankers and mobile coastal missile batteries. Poulsen emphasized Nordic unity as crucial in the face of European conflicts, describing the alliance as a vital defense pillar in an unstable region.
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