Denmark’s Arctic defence efforts are “not satisfactory”, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has said, as delays to new patrol ships and a shortage of naval personnel affect operations around Greenland. The criticism comes as Copenhagen is trying to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic amid growing security concerns and renewed pressure from the USA over Greenland.
According to Danish public broadcaster DR, an acute personnel shortage in the Royal Danish Navy’s Arctic unit has forced two crews out of the duty roster. As a result, the inspection vessel Hvidbjørnen has remained at the Frederikshavn naval base instead of carrying out a planned mission around Greenland.
The vessel would normally patrol Greenlandic waters, support sovereignty enforcement and provide search-and-rescue capacity in an area where distances are large and alternative emergency resources can be limited.
Greenland criticises delays to Denmark’s Arctic ships
The personnel shortage comes alongside delays to another major part of Denmark’s Arctic defence plans: the replacement of its ageing inspection vessels.
The Danish government first announced plans for new Arctic ships more than a year and a half ago. The parties behind Denmark’s defence agreement have since decided to procure five new Arctic vessels.
In February 2026, the Danish Ministry of Defence (Forsvarsministeriet) agreed on a construction strategy under which parts of the vessels would be produced at different sites in Denmark and assembled at a state-owned facility in Frederikshavn. At the time, the ministry said contract negotiations could begin once the ships’ technical specifications had been finalised.
A supplier contract, however, has still not been signed, according to DR.
Greenland’s Prime Minister (Naalakkersuisut siulittaasuat) Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the pace was inadequate.
“Of course, it is not satisfactory. I think that when it has been decided to build inspection ships because the current fleet is already old, then things need to be moved forward.”
Nielsen added that the issue was one he intended to discuss directly with the Danish government rather than through the media.
The cancelled mission is also a civilian safety issue
Concern is also growing in Inatsisartut, Greenland’s parliament.
Pipaluk Lynge, chair of the parliament’s Foreign and Security Policy Committee, called on Denmark’s Defence Ministry to accelerate the construction programme.
She also warned that the absence of Hvidbjørnen has consequences beyond military preparedness.
“It is not only a defence issue. It is also about safety for us.”
Lynge pointed to Greenlandic fishers, hunters and other people travelling in remote areas who rely on maritime rescue capacity when accidents occur.
The current difficulties are not the first to affect Danish naval operations in the North Atlantic. DR has previously reported that personnel shortages and the deteriorating condition of existing inspection vessels have disrupted missions and emergency response around Greenland.
Arctic security has become increasingly political
The problems come at a particularly sensitive moment for Arctic security.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned Denmark’s ability to defend Greenland and has publicly argued that the USA should take control of the island. Greenland and Denmark have rejected any such transfer of sovereignty.
The Danish government has meanwhile accelerated several defence initiatives in the region. In February, Copenhagen announced that five Arctic vessels would be built under a new domestic construction model. Denmark has also contributed F-35 fighter aircraft to NATO’s Arctic Sentry activity and is expanding aerial surveillance around Greenland.
In June, Danish defence authorities selected Air Greenland as the intended external provider for transport and surveillance missions, with two specially equipped aircraft planned for the task.
The Greenlandic criticism therefore focuses less on the absence of new initiatives than on how quickly announced capabilities are becoming operational.
Earlier delays weakened Denmark’s position
Jon Rahbek-Clemmensen, an associate professor at the Royal Danish Defence College (Forsvarsakademiet), told DR that Denmark has faced a similar problem before.
In 2021, the government announced plans to acquire advanced Arctic surveillance drones. By late 2024, when tensions surrounding Greenland intensified, the drones had still neither been selected nor contracted.
Rahbek-Clemmensen argued that having the drones already under construction or procurement would have given Denmark a stronger position when responding to Trump’s criticism.
The comparison highlights a broader problem for Copenhagen. Announcing additional Arctic capabilities can demonstrate political intent, but delays between political decisions and operational deployment can leave visible gaps in Denmark’s presence around Greenland.
For Nuuk, those gaps concern both defence policy and everyday security. Nielsen’s criticism also underlines the growing expectation that decisions affecting Greenland’s security should produce tangible results on the ground, particularly as the Arctic becomes a more central issue for Denmark, Greenland, NATO and the wider European security architecture.
