Denmark, Canada eye Arctic drone partnership after defence pact

Shared MQ-9B fleets could anchor deeper surveillance cooperation as both nations weigh basing, logistics and sensor alignment in the High North.

Denmark and Canada are exploring closer Arctic defence cooperation following a new bilateral agreement, with their shared acquisition of MQ-9B long-range drones emerging as a potential cornerstone for joint surveillance operations, Defense News writes.

The Danish Air Force formally established Squadron 729 on February 16 to operate four MQ-9B unmanned aircraft from Aalborg Air Base in northern Denmark beginning in 2028. Canada, which has purchased 11 of the same U.S.-built drones from General Atomics, expects deliveries on a similar timeline. Ottawa plans to base the aircraft at multiple sites, including Nova Scotia on the Atlantic coast and British Columbia on the Pacific.

The defence cooperation agreement was signed earlier this month at the Munich Security Conference, bringing together two Arctic nations seeking to bolster monitoring across vast and remote territories. Analysts say the shared platform could create practical opportunities for collaboration, even though no formal maintenance- or data-sharing arrangements currently exist between the two countries.

“A joint logistics or maintenance hub would absolutely be strategically beneficial for them – maintaining equipment and operating bases in the region is very expensive – sharing facilities and having an integrated logistics system can make operations easier and more efficient for all parties involved,” Jens Marquard Sørensen, director of a Danish consulting company, said.

Still, operational alignment remains a key question.

Denmark’s decision to base its drones at Aalborg would colocate them with existing air force maintenance expertise. But the base lies far from Greenland, the Danish autonomous territory that anchors Copenhagen’s Arctic strategy.

“The long distances [from Aalborg] to Greenland may pose operational challenges – flight times are long, increasing wear on drones before they arrive for a mission, and they would lose fuel going there. … It also means that any kind of rapid reaction using the MQ-9Bs is not possible, so having a forward operating station in the Arctic itself would be a notable advantage,” Sørensen said.

The straight-line distance between Aalborg and Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, is roughly 3,324 kilometres, a route commercial aircraft typically cover in four to five hours.

For contingency planning, closer integration could prove valuable, said Rune Raunow, a defence consultant at Copenhagen-based Rethink Advisory.

“The drones are essentially just a platform; what will be more relevant is whether they will buy the same set of communication networks, sensors, optic detection systems, etc. … Being able to track threats in these very remote places would be extremely easier if they were using the same equipment,” Raunow said.

Canada has opted for L3Harris Wescam MX-20D sensor systems for intelligence and surveillance missions, while Denmark has yet to publicly disclose its choice. Analysts note that harmonising communications and sensor suites could significantly enhance interoperability in the High North.

Sørensen also pointed to Keflavík Air Base in Iceland as a possible shared hub if NATO were to expand its use for allied operations.

“Shipping routes are also always open year-round, making it cheaper to maintain a station or base than anywhere else in the region – technicians, spare parts or even larger equipment can be transported relatively cheaply via regular civilian shipping routes versus shipping to Greenland, which can cost up to 20$ per kilogram in some areas,” Sørensen said.

Although Keflavík was closed in 2006 as a permanent U.S. Navy installation, NATO allies continue rotational air policing deployments there. Iceland, a NATO member, has no standing armed forces.

Other options include northern Canada, which lies geographically closer to Greenland. However, infrastructure limitations in many Arctic areas could complicate year-round drone basing.

For now, the new Denmark-Canada pact signals growing recognition that Arctic surveillance is becoming both more necessary and more complex — and that cooperation may be the most efficient path forward.

By Sabina Mammadli