Danish defence expansion faces calls for unified strategy

A broad coalition of Danish political parties is demanding a comprehensive defence plan before further military investments are made, criticising the current approach as fragmented and lacking long-term vision, DR reports.

Since 2023, Denmark has allocated 356 billion kroner (approx. €48bn) to military procurement, including missile defence systems, armoured vehicles, and additional F-35 fighter jets. But opposition parties—SF, the Conservatives, Liberal Alliance, Danish People’s Party, and Denmark Democrats—argue the spending lacks a coherent strategy.

“We need a holistic plan for what kind of defence Denmark should have and the risk analysis behind it,” said Carsten Bach, defence spokesperson for Liberal Alliance. “We’ve been fulfilling NATO obligations, but now we must look ahead and decide how to build further.”

SF’s defence spokesperson, Anne Valentina Berthelsen, called for a model similar to Norway and Sweden, where military leadership presents a unified defence plan to guide political decisions. “Instead of ad-hoc agreements, we need clarity on what’s been achieved and what’s still needed,” she said.

The Conservatives’ Joachim Hofmann echoed the demand, stating: “Without knowing the defence chief’s vision, we’re left guessing. A Norwegian-style system, where military leadership provides a structured plan, would give us a proper foundation.”

Denmark’s current defence agreement runs until 2033, but unlike its Nordic neighbours, it lacks a detailed, publicly available military strategy to guide ongoing investments.