A collection of scandals has blighted Denmark’s Armed Forces at a time when the Scandinavian nation and member of the NATO alliance is increase its defences, mainly as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The occasions have thus far led to the dismissal this week of Denmark’s high navy chief, Gen. Flemming Lentfer, who failed to tell the defence minister about an incident on the frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt final month whereas deployed to the Crimson Sea, the place it was a part of a US-led operation to defend industrial delivery in opposition to Houthi militants.
On Thursday, a technical error onboard its sister ship, the frigate HDMS Niels Juel that was docked in a Danish harbour, led to the air area and maritime route being briefly closed on account of fears a navy missile may launch unintentionally — however not explode — and ship fragments falling into the busy delivery lane between the islands of Zeeland, the place Copenhagen sits, and Funen.
The Iver Huitfeldt, which returned from its Crimson Sea mission on Thursday, forward of schedule, reportedly skilled a half-hour lengthy malfunction of its missile and radar methods throughout a drone assault on March 9, based on the specialist defence information web site Olfi.
“I’ve misplaced belief within the chief of protection,” the defence minister mentioned briefly with out elaborating why he fired Lentfer on Wednesday. Maj. Gen Michael Hyldgaard was appointed as his substitute.
The firing of Lentner was “the fruits of so a few years of deep disaster,” Martin Krasnik, the editor-in-chief of the weekly Weekendavisen wrote Friday. “The pitiful state of defence administration, the unclear division of roles and, to a selected extent, political irresponsibility have led to the truth that Denmark has no defence at the moment. We can’t defend a meagre frigate, and we can’t contribute meaningfully to NATO’s defence.”
Peter Viggo Jakobsen, an affiliate professor with the Royal Danish Defence Faculty, agreed with Krasnik that “there are lots of issues” in Danish defence, mainly as a result of spending was lowered in 2012 and Denmark has been “very gradual at arising once more.” “It begins to indicate now. We are going to see breakdowns an increasing number of typically,” Jakobsen advised The Related Press.
Olfi cited a leaked doc written by the commander of the Iver Huitfeldt that the issue with the missile and radar methods had been identified for years. The frigate ultimately fended off the assault by the Iran-backed Houthis, taking pictures down 4 drones with weapons.
Danish media have reported that Denmark’s navy intelligence service was requested to research the leak to the press of confidential info within the case of the Iver Huitfeldt.
As well as, workers have been leaving the Danish Armed Forces extra rapidly than they are often changed, some for poor pay, whereas navy services in a shabby and dilapidated state, troopers and their unions have mentioned for years.
In August, the defence minister on the time dismissed his high aide after criticism over the dealing with of the acquisition of artillery from Israel. The tools was to switch a lot of Denmark’s personal weapon methods that had been donated to Ukraine.
On Could 30, Denmark’s centrist authorities mentioned it desires to take a position some 143 billion kroner (USD 20.6 billion) within the nation’s protection over the subsequent decade, citing a “critical risk image,” and an ambition to achieve NATO’s goal of spending 2 per cent of gross home product on navy budgets by 2030.
Final month, the federal government introduced it desires to extend the variety of younger folks doing navy service by extending conscription to girls and growing the time of service from 4 months to 11 months for each genders.
Denmark, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, has donated a complete of 33.3 billion kroner (practically USD 5 billion) in navy assist to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion in 2022. The Danish donations embody a part of its fleet of ageing F-16 jets.
Danish lawmakers have “strongly prioritized Ukraine and never the Danish defence,” Jakobsen mentioned.
