Defence Minister welcomes home F-16 squadron

In related news, Danish-led precision guided munitions project is taking form

The new defence minister, Peter Christensen, was at hand at Skrydstrup Air Force Base in Jutland yesterday to welcome home the Danish F-16 squadron as it returned home from its mission against IS in Iraq.

The squadron deployed for Kuwait this time last year, which has been bombing targets in Iraq ever since, was withdrawn because it is in need of a break.

“Our Danish pilots, mechanics and other staff undertook a huge task and completed it excellently,” said Christensen, who assumed the reins as defence minister following Carl Holst’s resignation last week.

“From the government and myself there is a massive thank you. We don’t watch on passively as IS brutalises the local population and wages a war of terror against us. Denmark takes responsibility – and is able to do so thanks to our deployed forces.”

Christensen stressed that the F-16 squadron was likely to be redeployed sometime in 2016. Meanwhile, Denmark revealed in late September that it had decided to use mobile radars to supplement its efforts as part of the coalition against IS.

READ MORE: Defence minister visits troops as military calls for time out

Munitions co-op taking shape
In related news, Belgium and the Netherlands look set to become the latest two nations to sign up for the Danish-led Smart Defence project regarding the joint acquisition of precision guided munitions.

At a NATO meeting today, both nations underlined their desire to join the project by signing letters of intent. Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Norway, the Czech Republic and Greece have already signed on.

“Co-operating on the acquisition of military capabilities can help to ensure a greater impact for the same or fewer resources and thus help NATO to better address the security challenges as an alliance,” said Christensen.

“The precision guided munitions project constitutes one of the flagship projects of the Smart Defence agenda. The contract award for the first purchase could be completed ahead of the upcoming summit in Warsaw in July 2016.”

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs