US authorities give green light for missile purchase

The Danish Navy will shortly be receiving a welcome gift that will enable it to protect both Danish ships and the coastline better

Is a one billion kroner price-tag a fair price for 50 shipborne guided missiles? That depends on your point of view of course, but the Danish Navy thinks so.

The US authorities have now given permission for the sale of up to 50 Standard Missile 2 or SM-2s to Denmark. The missiles will be used by three of the navy’s frigates, which have been sailing around with empty missile tubes since 2010, TV2 Nyheder reports.

READ ALSO: Denmark ramps up capability to hunt for the likes of Red October

“The missiles are very important and will ensure we will be moving up into a whole other league,” said Rear Admiral Torben Mikkelsen.

“You could say that up until now, because of their sensors and radars, the frigates have had eyes that could see a long way, but no weapons to defend themselves. Now they are getting the missiles to defend larger naval forces and coastal areas on land,” he added.

A good buy
Despite the hefty price-tag, Henrik Breitenbauch, the head of the centre for military studies at the University of Copenhagen University, thinks they are worth every penny as they will allow the frigates to defend a very large airspace corresponding to almost the whole of Denmark.

“When you think that it is actually half the navy that will be armed, and remember that it is not the intention that the missiles will actually be fired, then it is a necessary and sensible expense,” said Breitenbauch.

The new defence agreement made in Parliament in January provided for ‘a number’ of such missiles to be purchased. At the same time, the preliminary work is being started to enable Denmark to buy more modern missiles of the SM-6 type as well as other special precision-guided missiles.




  • Greenland, Danish life science, and the future of US-Danish relations

    Greenland, Danish life science, and the future of US-Danish relations

    The US is the biggest market for the Danish life science industry, the country’s currently most important. Despite the situation, Denmark is not alone. There is also room for compromise, and promises of such jobs and additional investments are likely to at least reduce the tensions in US-Danish trade relations.

  • The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    A team of young internationals has created an app that is helping their peers connect and build friendships in Denmark, addressing the challenges of social integration.

  • New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    The documentary Greenland’s White Gold, reveals the worth of cryolite mining in Greenland to be in the billions. Over the years its value has been undermined, despite it acting like a gold mine for the Danish state. 

  • Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    On February 14 and 15, the last terrorist attack took place in Denmark. Another episode occurred in 2022, but in that case, there was no political motive behind it

  • Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    We all know Christiania and have been there at least once. But how does the Freetown work? How are decisions made? Can a person move there? Is there rent or bills to pay? British journalist Dave Wood wrote a reportage on Christiania for The Copenhagen Post.

  • The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    Isha Thapa unfolds her research “An Analysis on the Inclusivity and Integration of South Asian Women in High-Skilled Jobs within the Danish Labor Market”. Thapa describes the systemic and social challenges these women face, ranging from barriers in social capital to cultural integration.