A top general in the army has warned that Denmark’s military is not fulfilling its commitment to NATO and will be inadequate in the event of war, This is reported by TV2.
General Henrik Lyhne pointed to serious problems in the defense as a result of a lack of soldiers and equipment.
“This is an emergency call,” he told TV2. “The situation is extremely critical, especially because we lack soldiers like never before. I have been in the Armed Forces for 40 years and it has never looked this bad.”
Weak firepower
While the Danish army has combat-ready soldiers, Lyhne argues that there would not be nearly enough to repel an attack from e.g. Russia.
“This basically means that we are not able to provide the safety and security that we should be able to,” the general added.
Denmark meets only 3 out of 17 ‘strength targets’ set by the Ministry of Defence, reports TV2.
And the Danish army does not meet NATO’s goals either. The military coalition assessed that Denmark suffers from a “critical deficit of combat capacity” and “would probably be practically useless in intense combat”.
Loose fist
The most pressing issue for the Danish army is its lack of combat-ready soldiers.
The 1st Brigade, known as the ‘Fist of the Army’, is 1,000 short of the 4,000 required to be at full strength.
Not much of a fist then. But what is needed to make Denmark’s military sufficiently resistant to potential threats?
According to General Lyhne, it is investment today, not tomorrow. It will not be cheap, but with the threat posed by Russia, it is important to show a united and powerful military in all NATO countries.
Big problems
Low pay and dilapidated barracks have been cited as reasons for the lack of new army recruits.
In addition, soldiers often go on stress leave, partly because they have to go on extra shifts as a result of the large number of people leaving the army.
The problem is not the technology – Denmark’s military equipment can compete with the best in the world – it’s just that there is no one to man it.
In General Lyhne’s opinion, only immediate investment can solve these problems and boost the army’s fist.
An (even more) unified Nordic air defense
In other newsthe Nordic countries have signed an agreement to intensify their already solid cooperation on air defence.
The purpose of the agreement is to develop joint strategies and promote better communication. It is based on already established NATO models.
In a world where militarization is on the rise, perhaps small nations like the Nordics will have to cooperate even more, or risk being attacked by superpowers like Russia.
Source: The Nordic Page