Editing Danish Defence (section)

==History==
{{Main|Military history of Denmark}}

===Origins===
[[File:Christian IV by Vilhelm Marstrand.png|thumb|left|[[Christian IV of Denmark]] on the warship ''Trefoldigheden'' during the [[Battle of Colberger Heide]] in 1644]]

The modern Danish military can be traced back to 1510, with the creation of the permanent [[Royal Danish Navy]]. During this time, the Danish Kingdom held considerable territories, including [[Schleswig-Holstein]], [[Norway]], and [[Danish colonial empire|colonies in Africa and the Americas]].<ref name=FVHis />

Following the defeat in the [[Second Schleswig War]], the military became a political hot-button issue. Denmark [[Denmark during World War I|managed to maintain its neutrality]] during the [[First World War]], with a relative strong military force. However, following the [[Interwar period]], a more pacifistic government came to power, decreasing the size of the military. This resulted in Denmark having a limited military, when Denmark was [[German invasion of Denmark (1940)|invaded in 1940]].<ref name=FVHis />

Since the establishment of the Danish military, the two branches operated independently, without much cooperation. They both had their own ministry, and their own air force.{{sfn|Olsen|1985|p=1-2}} The first proposal for a [[Unity of command|unified command]] came in 1928, when {{ill|Hjalmar Rechnitzer|da}} suggested an independent air force, with all three branches collected under a central {{lang|da|Rigsværn}} ({{translation|Realm Defence}}).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kongstad |first1=Jan O. |title=Den militære flyvnings udvikling i Danmark 1910-1932 |language=da |trans-title=The development of military aviation in Denmark 1910-1932 |date=2008 |isbn=978-87-7674-175-4 |page=73}}</ref> It was however only after the lessons of [[Joint warfare|joint operations]] in [[World War II]], the branches were reorganized and collected under the newly created Danish Defence.<ref name=FVHis />

===Cold War and international engagements===
{{see also|Structure of the Danish Armed Forces in 1989|Scandinavian defence union}}
Denmark tried to remain neutral after [[World War II]], with the proposed [[Scandinavian defence union]]. However, Norway resigned from the talks, and with [[Cold War]] tensions on the rise and the [[1948 Easter Crisis]], Denmark was forced to join the [[North Atlantic Treaty]].<ref name="FVHis">{{cite web |author1=Danish Defence |date=3 February 2014 |title=Danish Defence's History |url=http://www2.forsvaret.dk/viden-om/historie/forsvarets/Pages/Forsvarsministerietshistorie2.aspx |access-date=21 December 2016 |website=forsvaret.dk |language=da}}</ref> During the Cold War, Denmark began to rebuild its military and to prepare for possible attacks by the [[Soviet Union]] and its [[Warsaw Pact]] allies. During this time Denmark participated in a number of UN peacekeeping missions including [[United Nations Emergency Force|UNEF]] and [[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus|UNFICYP]].

Following the end of the Cold War, Denmark began a more active foreign policy, deciding to participate in international operations. This began with the participation in the [[Bosnian War]], where the [[Royal Danish Army]] served as part of the [[United Nations Protection Force]] and were in two skirmishes. This was the first time the Danish Army was a part of a combat operation since World War 2.<ref name=nordbat>{{cite web|url=http://www.milhist.dk/post45/boellebank/boellebank_uk.htm |title=Operation ''Hooligan-bashing'' – Danish Tanks at War |first=Ole Kjeld |last=Hansen |year=1997 |access-date=29 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523143221/http://www.milhist.dk/post45/boellebank/boellebank_uk.htm |archive-date=May 23, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.uta.edu/cpsees/yec-394.txt#prof |publisher= [[University of Texas at Arlington]] |title= Yugoslav events chronology |date= 17 March 2000 |access-date= 29 January 2015 |archive-date= 11 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210511124005/https://www.uta.edu/cpsees/yec-394.txt#prof |url-status= dead }}</ref> On April 29, 1994, the [[Royal Danish Army]], while on an operation to relieve an observation post as part of the [[United Nations Protection Force]], the [[Jutland Dragoon Regiment]] came under artillery fire from the town of [[Kalesija]]. The [[United Nations Protection Force]] quickly returned fire and eliminated the artillery positions. On October 24, 1994, the [[Royal Danish Army]], while on an operation to reinforce an observation post in the town of [[Gradačac]], were fired upon by a [[T-54/T-55|T-55]] [[Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnian Serb]] tank. One of the three Danish [[Leopard 1]] tanks experienced slight damage, but all returned fired and put the [[T-55]] tank out of action.

With the [[September 11 attacks]], Denmark joined US forces in the [[War on terror]], participating in both the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]] and the [[Iraq War]]. In Afghanistan, 37 soldiers have been killed in various hostile engagements or as a result of friendly fire, and 6 have been killed in non-combat related incidents, bringing the number of Danish fatalities to 43,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://icasualties.org/oef/Nationality.aspx?hndQry=Denmark |title=Operation Iraqi Freedom &#124; Iraq &#124; Fatalities By Nationality |publisher=iCasualties |date=2010-05-28 |access-date=2011-06-13 |archive-date=2018-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022110109/http://icasualties.org/OEF/Nationality.aspx?hndQry=Denmark |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2011/07/10/095336.htm |title=Dansk soldat er dræbt i Afghanistan |publisher=DR |date=2011-07-10}}</ref> being the highest loss [[per capita]] within the [[International Security Assistance Force|coalition forces]].<ref>{{cite web|author1=Staff|title=Denmark Lost the Most Troops in Afghanistan|url=http://politiken.dk/udland/ECE649991/danmark-mister-flest-soldater-i-afghanistan/|website=politiken.dk|date=15 February 2009 |publisher=Politiken|access-date=22 November 2016|language=da}}</ref> Denmark has since participated in [[Operation Ocean Shield]], the [[2011 military intervention in Libya]] and the [[American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War]].

U.S. President [[Donald Trump]] announced in January 2025 that he wanted to "buy" Greenland and express claims to the area belonging to Denmark. Danish politicians decided to significantly increase the military presence in Greenland and invest almost two billion euros to increase security in the strategically important [[Arctic region]]. The Ministry of Defense is planning three new ships for the Danish Arctic Navy (''MPV80''-class vessels), two additional long-range drones and satellites for better surveillance.<ref>https://www.br.de/nachrichten/deutschland-welt/schutz-groenlands-daenemark-verstaerkt-militaer-in-der-arktis,UbA007z</ref>