[10] The first proposal for a unified command came in 1928, when Hjalmar Rechnitzer [da] suggested an independent air force, with all three branches collected under a central Rigsværn (transl.

[11] It was however only after the lessons of joint operations in World War II, the branches were reorganized and collected under the newly created Danish Defence.

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.

[9] 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.

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.

[12][13] 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.

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-55 Bosnian Serb tank.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced in January 2025 that he wanted to "buy" Greenland and express claims to the area belonging to Denmark.

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.

[18] Its primary tasks are: NATO participation in accordance with the strategy of the alliance, detect and repel any sovereignty violation of Danish territory (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), defence cooperation with non-NATO members, especially Central and East European countries, international missions in the area of conflict prevention, crisis-control, humanitarian, peacemaking, peacekeeping, participation in Total Defence in cooperation with civilian resources and finally maintenance of a sizable force to execute these tasks at all times.

[21] Since 1988, Danish defence budgets and security policy have been set by multi-year white paper agreements supported by a wide parliamentary majority including government and opposition parties.

[24] The reaction speed is increased, with an entire brigade on standby readiness; the military retains the capability to continually deploy 2,000 soldiers in international service or 5,000 over a short time span.

[24] In 2024, after more than a decade of significant cuts in defense spending, the Danish government allocated around 25.5 billion euros for its military over a period until 2034, part of which is earmarked for the Arctic.

Depending on year, 50–53% accounts for payment to personnel, roughly 14–21% on acquiring new material, 2–8% for larger ships, building projects or infrastructure and about 24–27% on other items, including purchasing of goods, renting, maintenance, services and taxes.

Because Denmark has a small and highly specialized military industry, the vast majority of Danish Defence's equipment is imported from NATO and the Nordic countries.

[42] In May 2018, the Royal Life Guards was forced to lower the height requirements for women, as the Danish Institute of Human Rights decided it was discrimination.

[46] Conscripts to Danish Defence (army, navy and air force) generally serve four months,[47][48] except: There has been a right of conscientious objection since 1917.