Royal Danish Army

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Danish Army

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Land warfare branch of Denmark's military

Royal Danish Army
Hæren
War in Kosovo (1998–1999) War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Iraq War (2003–2007)
Website	Official Website Official Facebook Official YouTube
Commanders
Chief of Defence	General Flemming Lentfer
Chief of Army Command	Major-General Gunnar Arpe
Sergeant Major of the Army	Henning Bæk
Notable commanders	Christian IV Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve Frederick IV Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel Prince Frederik of Hesse Frederick VI
Insignia
War flag

Military unit

The Royal Danish Army (

Danish Home Guard

. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structures, equipment and training methods, abandoning its traditional role of anti-invasion defence, and instead focusing on out of area operations by, among other initiatives, reducing the size of the conscripted and reserve components and increasing the active (standing army) component, changing from 60% support structure and 40% operational capability, to 60% combat operational capability and 40% support structure. When fully implemented, the Danish army will be capable of deploying 1,500 troops permanently on three different continents continuously, or 5,000 troops for a shorter period of time, in international operations without any need for extraordinary measures such as parliamentary approval of a war funding bill.

Brief organizational history

Further information: Military history of Denmark

Founded in 1614, in the wake of the Kalmar War,^[4] the Royal Danish Army was originally designed to prevent conflicts and war, maintain Denmark's sovereignty and protect her interest. With time, these goals have developed into also encompassing the need to protect freedom and peaceful development in the world with respect for human rights.

The

Dano-Swedish War (1657–58) and the Scanian War (1675–1679), the Great Northern War (1700–1721), the Theatre War of 1789/9 and the Napoleonic Wars

. In 1815, however, as a result of continued evolution and division of command, four general commands were created with the King as the supreme authority:

Schleswig and Holstein. At the same time, the need for maintenance of the army in peacetime became pertinent, and the Army Operational Command

was established.

The Royal Danish Army has historically been an integral part of the defence of Denmark and thus involved in warfare, skirmishes and battles continuously to protect her interests. Most notably various territorial wars with

Second World War

, controversially and famously against the wishes of the Danish government, which had ordered immediate surrender to Germany. In modern times the Royal Danish Army has also become the backbone of Danish international missions, such as those in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Recent deployments

The Royal Danish Army has been committed to a number of

War in Iraq from 2003 to 2007 with a significant contingent of soldiers responsible for creating and maintaining peace in the province of Basra

, together with the British.

Denmark lost its first soldier in Iraq on 17 August 2003 when Preben Pedersen, a 34-year-old Lance Corporal with the

Afghan National Army took responsibility for the security in Afghanistan in 2015, the Danish army has provided training, advisory and security support as part of Resolute Support Mission.^[5]

In an effort to relieve police officers in Copenhagen and at the border control, Danish soldiers replaced police officers in 2017 at different locations, marking the first time in 86 years soldiers were used to keep order in cities.[6]

Structure of the Royal Danish Army

Main article: Structure of the Royal Danish Army

LG

Vordingborg garrison

Bornholm garrison

DAR

class=notpageimage|

Danish Army regiments and major combat unit locations, 2019

The structure of the Danish army changed in 2015, leaving Danish Division without brigades or support troops directly under its command. The two brigades had only command over combat battalions, as combat support and logistic support units were grouped under various support centres. 1st Brigade consisted of four combat battalions and was tasked with providing troops for international deployments. 2nd Brigade consisted of five battalions and was tasked with the defence of the Danish territory. Support centres contained the army's combat support, combat logistic and general support units. This structure was changed in

• Army Command, in Karup^[7]
  • Major HQ's & Combat maneuver units
    • Multinational Division North, in Ādaži (Latvia) ( now part of NATO's force structure)
    • 1st Brigade, in Holstebro
    • 2nd Brigade, in Slagelse
  • Regiments
    • Danish Artillery Regiment, in Oksbøl
    • Engineer Regiment, in Skive
    • Signal Regiment, in Fredericia
    • Train Regiment, in Aalborg
    • Intelligence Regiment, in Varde
    • Høvelte
    • Guard Hussar Regiment, in Slagelse
    • Jutland Dragoon Regiment, in Holstebro
    • Schleswig Foot Regiment, in Haderslev

• 
  M60E6

  general-purpose machine gun
• 
  Leopard 2A7DK main battle tank
• 
  Mowag Piranha V

  armoured fighting vehicle

Army Aviation Troops

The Danish Army Aviation Troops^[8] (Hærens Flyvertropper) were established in 1923 following the rapid development of military aircraft technology. The Aviation Troops flew two squadrons of Fokker C.V reconnaissance aircraft from 1923 to 1932, when 17 Gloster Gauntlet fighters were purchased to form two new squadrons. In 1937, ten Fokker D.XXI fighters were built on licence in the Royal Army Aircraft Factory at Værløse. As a result of the establishment of the Royal Danish Air Force in 1950, the Army Aviation Troops were disbanded and activities transferred to the new service. During the Cold War the Army created the Royal Danish Army Air Corps (Hærens Flyvetjeneste) in 1971 with 12 Hughes OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopters. In 1974, an additional 4 Hughes OH-6 Cayuse were added. The Army bought 12 Eurocopter Fennec as anti-tank helicopters in 1990. But with the end of the Cold War and the reduction of forces, the 12 Eurocopter Fennec AS 550 and 10 Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (both as utility helicopters) were transferred to the Squadron 724 of the Air Force in 2003, and the Army Air Service disbanded.

Ranks and insignia

Each regiment and corps has distinctive insignia, such as a cap badge, berets, Formation patchs or stable belt.

Officers

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Royal Danish Army[9] v t e
			General		Generalløjtnant		Generalmajor		Brigadegeneral		Oberst		Oberstløjtnant		Major		Kaptajn		Premierløjtnant			Løjtnant			Sekondløjtnant						Sergent (Officerselev)
Danish Pay Grade[10]			M406		M405		M404		M403		M402		M401		M332 M331 M322		M321		M312			M311			M310

Other ranks

NATO rank scale	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Royal Danish Army[9] v t e
	Chefsergent						Seniorsergent		Oversergent								Sergent			Sergent (Officerselev)			Korporal				Overkonstabel af 1. grad		Overkonstabel						Konstabel
Danish Pay Grade[10]	M232						M231		M221								M212			M211			M113				M112

Disbanded Regiments of the Royal Danish Army

The Army has throughout its long history had many different regiments that have either changed names, been disbanded, or been amalgamated or merged. Since the end of the Cold War has seen many cuts to military expenditure, many regiments have been downsized and merged.^[11] Likewise, further development of military tactics have led to a streamlining of the regiments.^[12]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Army of Denmark.

• Dancon/Irak
• International Security Assistance Force
• Equipment of the Royal Danish Army
• Royal Danish Navy
• Royal Danish Air Force

References