Denmark sends staff officer to Honolulu
The Danish defense is sending a staff officer for the first time to the headquarters of the American Pacific Fleet in Honolulu, Hawaii.
This is reported by DR.
In recent years, the USA has increasingly tried to shift its primary military focus to the Pacific, where China challenges by building artificial islands and declaring them Chinese territory, among other actions. In this context, the USA wants European allies like Denmark to also become more engaged in the region.
A number of other European countries are already participating in exercises in the Pacific, and Norway has plans to do so from 2025.
Will see what is needed
The Danish staff officer will, for now, gather knowledge on how Denmark can contribute, for example, if Denmark could eventually contribute militarily in the Pacific. This is according to what the Defense has informed DR.
According to the defense, it's not only the Navy but all Danish branches that could potentially play a role in the area. Currently, however, none of the Navy's frigates are combat-ready due to a lack of training and issues with the frigates' missile defense.
- Denmark sees a need for us to get involved in that region to some extent. Then we will see what happens, says Kristian Haumann, head of the planning department in the Defense Operations Staff.
Calls for military contributions
SF's defense spokesperson Anne Valentina Berthelsen calls the decision "wise." According to DR, she also wants to focus on the Pacific when negotiations on the defense agreement begin.
The same applies to the Liberal Alliance's defense spokesperson, Carsten Bach. He also wants Denmark to send military contributions to the American Pacific Fleet in the future.
However, there are no plans for that at the moment, says Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (V) to DR.
But it could be considered at some point.
Initially, this is done by sending a staff officer, but later on, it could also involve exercises, according to him.
