Denmark is looking to buy maritime helicopters, equipment to counter improvised explosive devices and more Raven UAVs to meet its needs for the country's operations in Afghanistan, and also plans to make the military more deployable, said Lt. Col. Per Lyse Rasmussen, the Danish Defence Industry Attaché, at a conference in Washington on Wednesday.
At the same time, Denmark is shrinking its Army, Navy and Air Force, according to Rasmussen and a defense agreement put in place in June by Denmark's parliament. The 38-page, five-year plan covering 2010-2014 outlines cuts in the three services and also describes Denmark's main objectives for procurement.
"We will have some reductions and closures to make the [military] more efficient and more lean," Rasmussen said. The aim is for a stronger, but smaller force, and for Denmark to be able to maintain 2,000 personnel on expeditions outside the country, he said.
Among the reductions are cutting the number of operational Leopard 2 main battle tanks from 57 to 34 and the number of operational combat F-16 aircraft from 48 to 30. Denmark also will decommission the Army's long-range fire support system of M109 howitzers and cut its long-range, anti-tank missile units, which will result in decommissioning its anti-tank missile capability.
Denmark will decommission the Army's air defense capability, which will end the Danish military's ability to conduct land-based active defense against aircraft, but will transfer the control and early warning component of air defense to the Air Force.
Also, Denmark will cut the number of maritime response ships for permanent surveillance of Danish waters from four to three and reduce the Air Force's Fennec helicopter personnel and equipment, ending the international capability for that fleet. Operations and maintenance work for the military's equipment will be outsourced, according to Rasmussen and the defense agreement.
But those cuts don't mean Denmark isn't shopping for military equipment. Rasmussen specifically cited the Raven UAV, made by AeroVironment, saying it has proven very useful to Danish troops operating in Afghanistan and that the Army wants to add more to its fleet.
Electronic warfare equipment, including jammers and electronic countermeasures, are also needed for the Army's operations in Afghanistan.
"If you are in that kind of business, I'm sure a lot of people [in Denmark] are interested in talking to you," Rasmussen told industry and government executives at the event sponsored by the National Defense Industrial Association.
Denmark's defense budget for each of the next five years is roughly 22 billion Danish Krone ($4.4 billion).
Rasmussen also cited other defense equipment Denmark will be shopping for:
THE ARMY:
* Soldier equipment such as radios and night-fighting equipment.
* Medical equipment, including tents and containers.
* Hand weapons, including pistols, rifles and light machine guns.
* Equipment for IED detection and disposal.
THE NAVY:
* Small vessels and ships, support ships.
* Optical systems.
* Weapons systems including smaller guns.
* Ammunition, such as for Evolved Sea Sparrow systems, and decoys.
THE AIR FORCE:
* Satellite communications equipment.
* Electronic identification systems.
* Radar control systems.
Defense News, Published: 17 Sep 2009 16:20
