Denmark wants to buy submarines to "deter" Russian activity in Baltic Sea

Denmark could be on the way to procuring new submarines as it looks to bolster maritime capabilities and deter Baltic Sea expeditions by Moscow.

The Scandinavian nation divested its fleet of submarines in 2004 but lawmakers are actively considering whether to acquire them again or rely on “close cooperation” with “friends” to deliver such capability, Breaking Defense reports quoting Michael Aastrup Jensen, chair of Denmark’s foreign policy committee.

He said during a Hudson Institute event today in Washington that the submarine discussions are happening “right now” as part of a wider political examination of future Danish defence requirements.

“Denmark is very strategic, meaning that all Russian Navy vessels have to sail through our waters if they come out from St. Petersburg or Kaliningrad and therefore we need to beef up our defence in depth, which is a completely new awakening for us,” said Aastrup Jensen.

In 2022, Copenhagen pledged an investment of 40 billion Kroner ($58 million) for new naval ships to be built “within the coming years” and at the same time committed to developing a stronger “security of supply” with national maritime suppliers.

The latest submarine discussions coincide with the Royal Danish Navy close to announcing a replacement for ocean patrol vessels under the Thetis‐class frigate replacement program. A decision is expected imminently as part of Denmark’s most recent Defence Agreement — a document setting out a list of capabilities to be acquired over a ten-year period.