The Second Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic strengthens the operational effectiveness of the Danish Armed Forces with new acquisitions totalling DKK 27.4 billion

Two additional Arctic vessels, a maritime patrol aircraft capacity, a new headquarters for Joint Arctic Command, additional drones, and a North Atlantic undersea cable. These are just some of the investments included in the Second Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic of 2025.

The total planned acquisitions in the Second Agreement of 2025 amount to DKK 27.4 billion.

"We have this year significantly increased our defence presence in the Arctic including through a number of large national and international exercises . With this second agreement we significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Danish Armed Forces in the region., including maritime patrol aircraft capabilities and additional Arctic naval vessels. I deeply appreciate the close cooperation, innovative inputs and good discussions with Greenland's Naalakkersuisut and the Government of the Faroe Islands in reaching this agreement," says Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen.

The Second Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic aims to improve the capabilities and operational effectiveness of the Danish Armed Forces on land, at sea, and in the air. The agreement is divided into three themes:

• Initiatives for land operations: Strenghtened presence and local anchoring
• Initiatives for maritime operations: Stronger surveillance and operational effectiveness
• Initiatives for air operations: Improved situational awareness and support for authorities

New acquisitions and improvements strengthen operational effectiveness
To strengthen the operational capacity of the Danish Armed Forces in the Arctic and North Atlantic, the conditions for their presence must be in place. This requires new acquisitions and initiatives, which will be carried out in close cooperation with local authorities and with respect for the existing division of competences in the Kingdom of Denmark.

Investments in land operations include:

• New Joint Arctic Command Headquarters in Nuuk
• New military unit under Joint Arctic Command in Greenland
• Establishment of an Arctic unit with a dedicated first responder capability under Special Operations Command

Investments in Maritime acquisitions include:

• Acquisition of a maritime patrol aircraft capability
• Acquisition of two additional Arctic vessels
• Access to icebreaker capability
• Establishment of a North Atlantic undersea cable

Investments in air operations include:

• Establishment of air surveillance radar in East Greenland
• Drone acquisitions

The new investments in capabilities and initiatives must be seen in connection with the previous political decisions to strengthen the operational effectiveness of the Danish Armed Forces including the "First Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic" from January 2025, as well as the "Consensus on strengthening the Danish Armed Forces' ability to detect, identify, and react to threats, and establishing facilities for the construction of larger ships" from 4th of july 2025, both of which will improve surveillance and assertion of sovereignty in the region.