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Denmark's defence chief visited Alaska highlighting Arctic readiness
Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), hosted Gen. Michael Hyldgaard, the Kingdom of Denmark’s Chief of Defence, for strategic visits to key military installations in Alaska, August 12-14.
That is stated in a press release from Alaskan Command Public Affairs.
The multi-day visit focused on combined Arctic operations, airspace defense, operational integration, and interoperability.
"Showcasing our operations in Alaska demonstrates to our Allies the benefit of the NORDIC bridge which ties the US and NATO partners to deter and defend the Northern Approaches and the Arctic as a whole," said Guillot and added:
"Cooperation in this demanding environment ensures our combined forces remain ready to defend our nations at a moment's notice."
The visit began at Eielson Air Force Base on August 13, where both leaders suited up to participate in separate flight profiles in F-16 Fighting Falcons.
On August 14, the defense leaders transitioned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for high-level bilateral discussions at Alaskan Command Headquarters. The generals also met with Alaskan defense leaders to discuss shared security challenges, the defense of Greenland, and initiatives to enhance domain awareness across the Arctic.
Conscripted soldiers practice in Greenland
For the first time in recent times, conscripts have been sent to an exercise in Greenland, where they will practice and train military skills in unfamiliar terrain, participate in operational service during the Arctic Endurance exercise, and collaborate with their Greenlandic colleagues in Arctic Basic Training (Arktisk Basisuddannelse).
This is stated in a press release from the Danish Armed Forces.
Early in August, the first group of 11-month conscripts from the Schleswig Infantry Regiment landed at Nuuk Airport. For the first time, conscripts will participate in operational service during exercise Arctic Endurance, while also training and strengthening their soldier skills.
It is also the first time a team of conscripts has been deployed to Greenland.
Exercise Arctic Endurance is being conducted in close cooperation with the Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut. It has been decided to continue and strengthen the effort through 2026 by increasing the Danish Armed Forces' military presence and exercise activity in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. This is being done in close cooperation with several NATO allies, the Danish Armed Forces writes.
Expects working group on Greenland to be completed this year
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M) expects that there will be a solution before the end of the year, as a result of negotiations between the Danish-Greenlandic-American working group, which have been ongoing since January.
This is reported by the Danish newspaper Politiken, cited in, among other things, the Greenlandic Sermitsiaq.
Løkke Rasmussen estimates that there is a need for "a number of meetings", he tells Politiken.
Denmark, Greenland and the United States agreed in January to establish a working group to discuss the way forward.
Relations between Denmark and Greenland on the one hand, and the United States on the other, have been tense after US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to take over Greenland.
Cyber attacks against Greenlandic websites
There are currently cyber attacks, so-called DDoS attacks, against Greenlandic websites.
That is confirmed by the Danish Resilience Agency to Ritzau, Greenlandic KNR reports.
"We are following the situation closely and are in ongoing dialogue with relevant authorities in Denmark and Greenland about the current attacks," the agency writes in a written comment.
DDoS attacks involves attempts to overload websites or networks so that they do not work and cannot be accessed.
Canada and Denmark deepen defense ties
Canada and Denmark have signed a defense cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
The agreement follows the Trump Administration's threats to take over Canada and was signed by Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty and Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, together with his Greenlandic and Faroese counterparts, Vivian Motzfeldt and Sirið Stenberg.
"Canada is an Arctic nation — and we will defend the North," McGuinty said in a statement after signing the agreement.
The Danish Ministry of Defense reports that the agreement will strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries in a number og areas, including defense innovation, technology, capacity building, and training, exercise and education.
Denmark provides F-35 fighter jets to NATO s Arctic Sentry
NATO has launched the mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, part of an effort to defuse tensions within the alliance prompted by the U.S. president's push to acquire Greenland from Denmark.
"Our F-35 contribution strengthens the overall presence in the region and underscores Denmark's role as an active ally in the Arctic and North Atlantic," Denmarks minister of defense, Trouls Lund Poulsen said in a statement.
Poulsen also expects the United States to contribute to the NATO mission, he told reporters ahead of the Munich Security Conference.