Danish Navy To Get Urgent Upgrade With 25 New Ships & Advanced Unmanned Systems

The Danish government plans to modernise the Danish Navy with 25 new vessels, advanced unmanned systems, and a strong focus on protecting critical underwater infrastructure.

The plan comes after the increasing Russian assertiveness, technological advancements in naval warfare, and recent sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea.

The Danish authorities have therefore split the naval upgrade into two tracks, one urgent and one long-term, to address both current vulnerabilities and future naval needs.

The urgent track will see immediate investments to tackle specific security issues. This includes the acquisition of new monitoring equipment to protect vital underwater infrastructure like seabed cables and pipelines.

These assets have been targeted repeatedly, including recent cases of suspected intentional cable damage in the Baltic, and the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines.

For such threats, the government is launching a development program for drones and autonomous maritime systems. These unmanned units will help the Navy carry out both surface and seabed surveillance tasks more effectively in the years ahead.

One of the key part of the urgent plan involves the acquisition of four new marine environment vessels. These ships will be dual-use, not only tackling oil and chemical spills in Danish waters but also supporting military operations like mine-laying, maritime surveillance, and infrastructure monitoring.

Authorities say that Denmark’s existing environmental protection vessels are old and in poor condition, making their replacement both urgent and necessary.

It was discussed that it makes practical sense to ensure these new vessels are also capable of performing naval security roles given the current global security situation.

The Danish Navy Home Guard will receive 21 brand new vessels to enhance coastal patrols and national security presence across Danish waters.

Apart from the urgent upgrades, the government had initiated a longer-term strategy to lay the groundwork for future major naval acquisitions. This includes preparations to acquire a new class of frigates and large Arctic capable vessels.

Officials stated that Denmark’s current fleet of frigates still has around ten years of service life remaining, but planning for their replacement must begin now.

The government aims to build a solid decision making base over the next few months to ensure smart, future-ready investments. Plans for domestic production were also discussed to ensure security of supply.

The country recently announced a $2 billion allocation for enhancing security in the high north, with growing interest in Greenland’s vast resources and new shipping routes opening due to melting ice.

In early 2025, Denmark participated in a joint NATO exercise named Find, Fix, Track, and Target in Poland and the Baltic Sea.

The drill involved multiple NATO countries and focused on improving coordination in intelligence, surveillance, and targeting using aircraft and naval assets.

A senior member of the Danish defense committee recently criticised the decision to buy $3 billion worth of F-35 fighter jets from the US, warning that future supply of parts could be restricted in times of disagreement.

The MP stated that relying too much on American weapons poses a security risk, especially as Denmark plans to make huge investments in air defense, fighter aircraft, artillery and other systems in the coming years.

References: armyrecognition, thedefensepost

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