Denmark and Norway signed a letter of intent in May 2024 to collaborate on long-range maritime drones to patrol their Arctic territories. U.S. MARINE CORPS
THE WATCH STAFF
Norway and Denmark have agreed to collaborate on long-range maritime drone programs to improve domain awareness in the Arctic, a key path to the U.S. homeland. The two Nordic countries signed a letter of intent in late May 2024 formalizing the collaboration. Both Denmark and Norway announced major investments in maritime drones earlier this year. “Long-range drones are one of the investments in the Norwegian Defense Pledge to strengthen the ability to monitor the ocean areas in the North. It is a new capability for Norway and the Norwegian Armed Forces. Therefore, we want to cooperate with allies, in which Denmark is a relevant partner,” said Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram, according to the High North News, a Norwegian newspaper.
Norway has proposed the Andøya air base in northern Norway as a drone hub as it begins acquiring the weapons. Gram said it was too early to say if Denmark would supply drones to its ally. Under consideration in Oslo, according to the newspaper, is the MQ-4C Triton, a U.S.- manufactured drone made by Northrop Grumman. But Norway hasn’t made any final decisions, Gram said. “Norway is considering several types of drones. The work is in the start phase, so it is too early to say which is chosen. We must consider various conditions, such as how they will be used, what range we want, and cost,” Gram said.
The Norwegian government announced another large defense spending increase in April 2024 that will bring the Nordic country in line with NATO’s goal of member states spending 2% of GDP on defense before the NATO summit in July. Prime Minister Jonas Støre explained the mid-year budget spike as necessary because of increased tensions in the region. “We must increase the operational capability of the Armed Forces,” Støre said at an April 2024 news conference announcing an additional $630 million in defense spending over the next 12 years.
Norway’s defense plan, which called for doubling the defense budget by 2036, will increase the Army from one to three brigades and expand the Home Guard to 45,000 soldiers. The plan also envisions new frigates, submarines and other vessels and Norway’s first long-range air defense system. “As our security environment is deteriorating, we need to spend more on and pay more attention to defense and preparedness. Norway is in a unique position to take action. Our model of securing income for society from our natural resources enables us to increase national security spending without a cut in people’s public services,” said Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum in April 2024. Long-range drones were also included in one pillar of the defense plan: strengthening situational awareness along with the refitting of the Andøya base and developing a simulator for the P-8 Poseidon warplane, which currently flies most of the remote air patrols in the Arctic. A simulator would better train pilots and cut back on harmful emissions, the Norwegian government said, according to the newspaper.
Denmark allocated $400 million for long-range drones to increase Arctic and North Atlantic surveillance in January 2024. The agreement also prioritizes setting up an air warning radar on the Faroe Islands. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told the High North News at the time that Denmark needed to “use more muscle in the region” as an explanation for the outlay.