TheRoyal Danish Army (Danish:Hæren;Faroese:Herurin;Greenlandic:Sakkutuut) is the land-based branch of theDanish Armed Forces, together with theDanish 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.
Founded in 1614, in the wake of theKalmar War,[4] the Royal Danish Army was originally designed to 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.
TheDanish King remained commander in chief throughout the Early Modern period, in theThirty Years' War, theDano-Swedish War (1657–58) and theScanian War (1675–1679), theGreat Northern War (1700–1721), theTheatre War of 1789/9 and theNapoleonic 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: theGeneral Command over Zealand, Lolland-Falster, Møn and Bornholm, theGeneral Command over Funen,General Command of the Duchies and General Command for Langeland, Ærø and Tåsinge.
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 withSweden,Russia andPrussia, theNapoleonic Wars on the side of France.
The Royal Danish Army has been committed to a number ofUnited Nations andNATO peacekeeping andunconventional warfare operations since becoming involved in theYugoslav Wars under UN mandate in 1994, most notably in the famousOperation Bøllebank. The Royal Danish Army was also engaged in theKosovo War and continues to this day to maintain peacekeeping operations in Kosovo as part of theUnited Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), together with theDanish Home Guard. In addition, the Royal Danish Army was involved in theWar in Iraq from 2003 to 2007 with a significant contingent of soldiers responsible for creating and maintaining peace in the province ofBasra, together with the British.
Denmark lost its first soldier in Iraq on 17 August 2003 when Preben Pedersen, a 34-year-oldlance corporal with theJutland Dragoon Regiment, became the first coalition soldier not from the United States or Britain to die in theIraq War. Starting in 2001, the Royal Danish Army was also involved in theWar in Afghanistan with the Royal Danish Army and the British Army involved in heavy clashes with the Taliban inHelmand Province, where about 760 Danish soldiers controlled a large battlegroup. The Danish army withdrew its combat forces from Afghanistan in May 2014. After theAfghan National Army took responsibility for the security in Afghanistan in 2015, the Danish army has provided training, advisory and security support as part ofResolute 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]
The structure of the Danish army changed in 2015, leavingDanish 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, inKarup[7]
Danish Artillery Regiment, inOksbøl.svg)
Engineer Regiment, inSkive
Signal Regiment, inFredericia
Logistic Regiment, inAalborg.svg)
Intelligence Regiment, inVarde
Royal Life Guards, inHøvelte
Guard Hussar Regiment, inSlagelse
Jutland Dragoon Regiment, inHolstebro
Schleswig Foot Regiment, inHaderslev
Bornholm Regiment, onBornholm (activated 12 June 2025)[8]
The Danish Army Aviation Troops[9] (Hærens Flyvertropper) were established in 1923 following the rapid development of military aircraft technology. The Aviation Troops flew two squadrons ofFokker C.V reconnaissance aircraft from 1923 to 1932, when 17Gloster Gauntlet fighters were purchased to form two new squadrons. In 1937, tenFokker D.XXI fighters were built on licence in the Royal Army Aircraft Factory atVærløse.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 theCold War the Army created the Royal Danish Army Air Corps (Hærens Flyvetjeneste) in 1971 with 12Hughes OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopters. In 1974, an additional 4Hughes OH-6 Cayuse were added. The Army bought 12Eurocopter Fennec as anti-tank helicopters in 1990. But with the end of the Cold War and the reduction of forces, the 12Eurocopter Fennec AS 550 and 10Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (both as utility helicopters) were transferred to theSquadron 724 of the Air Force in 2003, and the Army Air Service disbanded.
Each regiment and corps has distinctive insignia, such as acap badge,berets,Formation patchs orstable belt.
The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.
| NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Danish Army[10] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
| General | Generalløjtnant | Generalmajor | Brigadegeneral | Oberst | Oberstløjtnant | Major | Kaptajn | Premierløjtnant | Løjtnant | Sekondløjtnant | ||||||||||||||
| Danish Pay Grade[11] | M406 | M405 | M404 | M403 | M402 | M401 | M332 M331 M322 | M321 | M312 | M311 | M310 | |||||||||||||
The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Danish Army[10] | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) |  | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chefsergent | Seniorsergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Sergent (Officerselev) | Korporal | Overkonstabel af 1. grad | Overkonstabel | Konstabel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Danish Pay Grade[11] | M232 | M231 | M221 | M212 | M211 | M113 | M112 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.[12] Likewise, further development of military tactics have led to a streamlining of the regiments.[13]
| NATO land forces |  | |
|---|---|---|
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