Special Report: Joint Arctic Command eyes investments for greater Greenland defence

Denmark is investing in Arctic-capable ships to navigate through the ice-filled waters off the Greenland coast, pictured here. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

With tensions rising in the Arctic and North Atlantic, Joint Arctic Command (JAC) is looking to significantly increase the speed and degree of military investment in defence of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, according to Danish Major General Søren Andersen, JAC commander.

“We have to improve and invest in defending the Arctic,” Maj Gen Andersen told Janes on 11 November during an exclusive briefing at JAC headquarters in Nuuk, Greenland. “Otherwise, we will be run over technologically.”

The investments are overdue, he said. “I would have rather started this investment years ago. My biggest challenge now is we are going too slow.”

Part of that investment drag is due to demand and capacity, he said. “We're doing it when Germany, France, the United States, Canada – everybody [is] investing in new equipment. Everybody has to get in line for that. It's going too slow. The main issue is that the production capacity is limited.”

As a result, Maj Gen Andersen said JAC will have to wait for some of its signature equipment needs for Arctic operations.

“I want the drones today, but I probably will get them in 2028,” he said. “I want P-8s today, but I'll get them in 2028 or [20]29.”

With that in mind, Maj Gen Andersen said he has to concentrate on getting what is most easily and readily available now.