The Danish government has announced that key reforms to strengthen national defence will be implemented sooner than expected.
Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen confirmed today on Constitution Day (Grundlovsdag) that the newly extended 11-month military service will begin in February 2026, six months earlier than originally scheduled.
The measure is part of a broader effort to increase Denmark’s military readiness amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.
In a video posted on Facebook, Poulsen stated that a new mobilisation force is also being planned. It will consist of thousands of former conscripts who can be called back to service in the event of a war or major crisis.
According to the minister, the rapid implementation of these reforms is a direct response to the changing security landscape in Europe. “When there is urgency around air defence, new conscription, and the establishment of a new mobilisation force, it is because we once again have war in Europe — and because the world we know is changing rapidly,” he said.
The government will also make a decision next week on acquiring Denmark’s first ground-based air defence systems in two decades. The systems are expected to be operational in 2026.
