GAC06 said:
Danes fought in Afghanistan after we invoked NATO's article five. I flew close air support for them there.
21st Century: Active Combat Deployments
Since the early 2000s, Denmark has adopted a more activist foreign policy and contributed combat forces to several U.S.- and NATO-led coalitions, often with significant casualties relative to its population size.
War in Afghanistan (20012021)
Denmark was a major contributor to the NATO-led ISAF and Resolute Support missions, deploying around 9,00010,000 personnel over the years (with peaks of 700800 troops). Danish forces operated in the dangerous Helmand Province alongside British troops, suffering 43 fatalities (the highest per capita among coalition nations). This was Denmark's most intense and prolonged combat engagement in the modern era.
Iraq War (20032011)
Denmark joined the U.S.-led coalition in the 2003 invasion and occupation, deploying troops (primarily in Basra Province with British forces) from 2003 to 2007/2008, with around 500 personnel at peak. Danish forces saw combat and training roles, withdrawing combat troops in 2007 but continuing some support later.
2011 Libyan Civil War
Danish F-16 fighter jets participated in the NATO-led intervention (enforcing the no-fly zone and conducting airstrikes), contributing significantly (Denmark hit about 17% of targets in some phases).
Other Recent Operations
Denmark has also contributed to:
The fight against ISIL (Operation Inherent Resolve, including airstrikes in Iraq/Syria and training missions).
Anti-piracy operations off Somalia (Operation Ocean Shield).
Ongoing missions in Mali, South Sudan, and NATO's enhanced forward presence in the Baltics (e.g., Latvia since 2022).
Interesting they didn't fight in Korea.
But they haven't been spending enough on defense for last 30 years. Their navy frigates are like our LCS ships crappy!
Denmark's defense spending (also called military expenditure) over the last 30 years (roughly 19962025) has shown a clear pattern: relatively stable and low in the post-Cold War period (often hovering around 1.31.5% of GDP), followed by a sharp increase starting around 20222023 due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, major aid donations to Ukraine, and commitments to meet/exceed NATO's 2% GDP target. Figures are most reliably sourced from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and NATO reports, reported in current US dollars (USD) unless noted otherwise. Note that there can be slight variations between national Danish definitions (often lower) and NATO/SIPRI definitions (which include aid to allies like Ukraine and are typically higher).
Key Trends and Recent Figures (in current USD billions)
From the mid-1990s to around 2021, annual spending was generally in the $35 billion range.
1995: $3.12 billion
1996: $3.09 billion
Late 1990s/early 2000s: Around $2.83.5 billion (e.g., 1998: $2.85 billion)
2010s: Typically $35 billion (e.g., 2019: $4.49 billion, 2020: $4.89 billion)
Sharp rise post-2022:
2021: $5.27 billion
2022: $5.48 billion
2023: $8.14 billion (a ~49% jump from 2022, largely due to Ukraine aid)
2024: $9.96 billion to $9.96 billion (some sources report ~$9.96 billion or $9.96 billion)
2025 projections/allocations point to continued growth, with plans pushing toward 3%+ of GDP temporarily (including Arctic investments and new systems), potentially exceeding $10 billion annually in the near term.
Cumulative Estimate Over 30 Years
Summing approximate annual figures (based on SIPRI/Macrotrends data trends):
19952021 (~27 years): Roughly $100130 billion total (averaging ~$4 billion/year, with gradual increases).
20222025 (~4 years): Roughly $3040 billion (with the recent surge).
Total rough estimate for ~19962025: Around $140180 billion USD (this is approximate, as exact year-by-year summation varies slightly by source and exchange rates; the post-2022 acceleration accounts for a disproportionate share).
In Danish Kroner (DKK) Context
National Danish figures (per the Ministry of Defence) are often lower than NATO/SIPRI ones:
2024: 36.2 billion DKK (national) vs. much higher under NATO inclusion of aid.
Recent plans: Significant multi-year allocations (e.g., DKK 75 billion for 2025 in some reports, with long-term packages up to DKK 190+ billion over 10 years).
Denmark historically prioritized "peace dividend" cuts after the Cold War but has become one of NATO's most proactive spenders relative to size since 2022, including massive Ukraine support (among the highest per capita). For the most precise year-by-year data, refer to SIPRI's downloadable database or NATO's annual defence expenditure reports.
