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The defence ofGreenland is the responsibility of theKingdom of Denmark; the government of Greenland does not have control of military or foreign affairs. In the history of Greenland there have been many changes of presence regarding who is in charge of the security of Greenlandic people and its land.
The most important part of Greenland's defensive territory remains the 12 maritime zones.[1] In the 21st century there has been a significant increase in challenges.[2]
Danish military history on Greenland has its origins in the early 18th century. In 1721Hans Egede, a Danish-Norwegian missionary, first colonised the region. Soldiers were stationed on Greenland to protect the Danish colony from looting, especially against foreignwhalers.Denmark andNorway split a century later in 1814, leaving Greenland under complete Danish rule.
In 1932, theNavy Flyvevæsen (Naval Air Force) made its first appearance. The Air Force contributed aerial photography to theGeodætisk Institute, a cartographic institute under the Ministry of Defence. All military work was carried out during the summer months, from May to September, after which the ships were transferred toIceland or Denmark during the winter months.[3]
The Danish Navy was actively involved in exploring Greenland through expeditions until the beginning of theSecond World War. The armed forces were also responsible for surveying andcartography. Greenland took its first step towards independence in1953 when representation in the Danish Parliament was gained. According to the Danish Constitution, "The Folketing shall consist of one assembly of not more than one hundred and seventy-nine Members of whom two Members shall be elected in the Faroe Islands and two Members in Greenland."[4]
Following theNazi German occupation of Denmark (operationWeserübung) on 9 April 1940, Denmark signed an agreement with the United States to keep control of the Greenlandic territory in allied hands. The Thulesag 1 agreement,[5] signed on 9 April 1941, gave theFederal Government of the United States the right to assist Greenland to maintain its (non-German) status. The US-built airfields, harbors, anti-aircraft fortifications, radio, and meteorological sites. The allies feared that Germany could use Greenland as a base of operations to conduct offensive attacks onWashington, D.C. via bombing and submarine attacks. The United States' entry into the war meant that Greenland would become much more valuable to theAllied war efforts as airfields and harbors in Greenland were used for important transatlantic links. Under the Thulesag 1 agreement these facilities fell entirely under US jurisdiction, while Danishsovereignty over Greenland was maintained.
The treaty was to remain in force until "existing threats to the peace and security of the American continent no longer exist" (Article 10).[5] This prompted the United States to build a number of military bases during the Second World War, includingThule Air Base, airfields, and a military hospital. The agreement was finally ratified by theDanish Parliament after the end of the war on 16 May 1945.[6] By the end of World War II, the U.S. had built or expanded 17 facilities, including air bases includingNarsarsuaq andKangerlussuaq.
As a countermeasure against the Germans, a permanent patrol service withsledge dogs was established with theSirius Patrol, which still exists today. The first offensive against the Germans took place on 13 May 1943, when the German weather patrol was encountered by members of the Sledge Patrol; a Danishcorporal was killed during the battle. A second battle took place on 22 April 1944. The Sledge Patrol of Greenland was defunct after the end of the war. In 1953, a new dog unit was named as Sirius Patrol, afterSirius, the bright dog-star in theCanis Major constellation.King Frederik of Denmark took part in a Sirius expedition from 11 February to 31 May 2000.
Following the Second World War, the sovereignty and defence of Greenland returned to Denmark. The United States continued to be interested in a permanent military presence due to the increasing tensions of the Cold War; however, Greenland was expected to remain under sole Danish control by the public. A US proposal to buy Greenland was rejected by the Danish government, as the Danes felt a paternalistic, "White Man's Burden"-like responsibility for its people. While Greenland did not contribute to the Danish economy, Denmark planned to expand trade and resource extraction there.[7]
Since overseas territories, such as Greenland, could hardly be protected by aScandinavian Defence Alliance, Denmark's integration intoNATO was likely to happen. In 1949, new opportunities for both countries opened up as the Danish membership into the military alliance was in place. The US hoped to solve the question of a navy presence through multilateral negotiations. However, Denmark saw itself in a position to circumvent agreements with the American superpower, which was based solely on bilateral negotiations, and to guarantee Greenland's sovereignty for the future.[8] On 27 April 1951, Thulesag 2 agreement (1951 Greenland Defense Agreement) was signed. This meant that the United States would assist Denmark in necessary defence of Greenland within the framework of theNorth Atlantic Treaty. For this purpose, more American military bases were to be established. Article 5, paragraph 3, guaranteed the US and its troops unrestrictedfreedom of operation between these bases, on land, air, and sea, throughout the entire national territory. Article 6 obliged the US "to show due respect for all regulations and customs affecting the population and the administration of Greenland". The military airbase in Narsarsuaq was developed into a joint base of Danish and American troops.[9][10]
At the end of 1953, the secret of aweather station 140 km (87 mi) from the army base in Kangerlussuaq came to light. The station had been built by US forces without the knowledge of the Danish government.[11]
Nevertheless, on 15 March 1954, the expansion of Thule Air Base was set into motion. This included the installation of a new generationair defense system that was equipped withnuclear weapons.[12] The expansion also involved the forced resettlement of localInuit inhabitants.[13][14]
A referendum on the law on self-government was held in Greenland on 25 November 2008. A large majority of 75.5% voted in favour of extended self-government. The law is to be seen as a step towards independence from Denmark. On 21 June 2009, an extended agreement onautonomy came into force. Only foreign and defence policy remained in Danish responsibility. The Greenlandic government took over responsibilities for the police, justice, and coastal protection.[15] Those that affect Navy provision include:
There are many new challenges that Greenland has to face today. New sea routes lead past Greenland that require special protection. Ice cap melting may increase the availability ofraw materials that must be protected.[1] The likelihood of military conflict in Greenland is small; however, a relevant defence in theArctic region is at the core of Danish defence priorities.[16][17] The country's naval presence and activities are based on close relationships with the local populations and authorities of both Greenland and theFaroe Islands.[18] It is in no doubt important to the Danish armed forces' future presence in the Arctic to continue to strengthen and develop this relationship.[19] Theconsequences of climate change will likely not only bring better maritime accessibility but also an increased interest in the extraction of natural resources, as well as intensified scientific and commercial activity.[1] There is also a significant increase in military activity in the region.[20] Accordingly, the geopolitical importance of the Arctic will become increasingly significant in the years to come.
Military efforts in the Arctic are strengthened by:[21]
Newnaval ships solve environmental protection and pollution control tasks.[1] The Parties note that the tender for newpollution control ships will be reconsidered in order to further examine a solution where new military vessels, in addition to their operational military tasks, when necessary, can also solve environmental protection and pollution control tasks.[21] Denmark does not have a specific coast guard entity, as the Royal Danish Navy (Søværnet) is responsible for providing the services that would normally fall to a coast guard. The Navy is thus used by various agencies to carry out search and rescue, navigation assistance, environmental protection, and fisheries inspections, in addition to sovereignty and maritime surveillance. Today, the Danish Navy is divided into the First and Second Squadrons. While the Second Squadron is focused on foreign operations, the first squadron has responsibility for internal affairs, which includes thenorthern Atlantic (Greenland) and the North Sea (Faroe Islands). Responsibility for coast guard tasks, therefore, falls under the first squadron headquarters inFrederikshavn, as well as the newly establishedJoint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland (Danish Ministry of Defence 2011). The Joint Arctic Command is responsible for overseeing all maritime activity in the waters around Greenland and the Faroe Islands so that the Danish Navy and the local authorities are in close coordination in crisis situations in the High North.
The 1st Squadron of theRoyal Danish Navy is primarily focused on national operations in and around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. As of 2023, the 1st Squadron is composed of:
After 2025 theThetis-class vessels are to be replaced by the planned MPV80-class vessels, built by Odense Maritime Technology and SH Defence. The new vessels will incorporate a modular concept enabling packages of different systems (forminehunting orminelaying for example) to be fitted to individual ships as may be required.[23][24]
The Joint Arctic Command of the Danish Armed Forces and the Greenland police are jointly responsible for search and rescue in Greenland. In addition to naval units, Greenland's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) is able to call onC-130J andChallenger 604 aircraft of theRoyal Danish Air Force if available. The C-130J is specifically tasked with the re-supply of Danish forces in Greenland. The Challenger 604 is also tasked with assisting in surveillance missions in the Arctic area and since 2021 one aircraft has been permanently stationed inKangerlussuaq.[25][26] In early 2024, agreement was reached in theDanish Parliament on a defence package that incorporated the planned future deployment of improved surveillance assets in Greenland consisting of long-rangeUAVs.[27]