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Denmark in talks with Israel to replace howitzers donated to Ukraine

After pledging all 19 of its French-made Caesar howitzers to Ukraine, Denmark is in talks with Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems for new mobile artillery to plug a "critical gap".

Published: 27 January 2023 14:16 CET

Denmark in talks with Israel to replace howitzers donated to Ukraine

Danish defence ministerJakob Ellemann-Jensen, pictured here during a recent visit to a military base in Estonia, said the acquisition of new howitzers was important "for Denmark to be able to meet its NATO commitments". Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

The defence ministry said late Thursday that negotiations were on “with the manufacturer Elbit Systems for the delivery of ATMOS artillery pieces and PULS rocket launcher systems as soon as possible”.

The equipment could be delivered this year, the government said.

“The rocket launchers complement the new artillery systems,” the ministry said.

Denmark had ordered 15 mobile long-range howitzers from French company Nexter in 2017, and four more in 2019.

But deliveries have been delayed and only a few have arrived. All of them have been pledged to Ukraine.

The system can carry 36 155 mm shells and reach targets at distances of up to 40 kilometres (24 miles). ATMOS can fire six shots per minute and can be mounted on most off-road 8X8 trucks.

The next acquisitions are “important for Denmark’s defence and for Denmark to be able to meet its NATO commitments,” Defence Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen said.

“The donation to Ukraine leaves a critical capability gap in defence,” he said.

According to Danish media, Nexter advised Denmark against changing suppliers, saying it could provide new artillery.

“Caesar has proven itself on the battlefield in Ukraine, Danish soldiers can use them and the parts are compatible with Danish military IT systems,” a spokesman for the group said.

The primary reason for the defence ministry’s choice of Elbit is that it can deliver the hardware much sooner that its competitor, media Altinget reports.

But the decision to purchase from the Israeli company could prove a controversial one, given that several international banks and pension funds — including some in Denmark — refuse to invest in the company on ethical grounds related to its supply of surveillance and other equipment for use in the West Bank, Altinget writes.

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Denmark moves to upgrade bare-bones military

The country of just six million people has been one of the top donors to Ukraine, and there has been broad political support for the help, even though it has come at the cost of depleting its own military.

“We gave a lot of materiel, a lot of weapons systems and ammunition to Ukraine, and only kept what was absolutely necessary,” Peter Ernstved Rasmussen, the head of specialised defence magazine Olfi, told AFP.

Denmark’s bilateral aid to Kyiv so far totals 2.4 percent of its gross domestic product, making it the second-biggest donor in terms of GDP, behind Estonia, according to the Kiel Institute.

In mid-April, Copenhagen approved its 17th aid package, worth 2.2 billion kroner ($314 million).

The generosity has “pulled back the curtains — you could suddenly look in and see that what we thought was an effective defence force was broken,” said Ernstved Rasmussen.

In mid-March, the Scandinavian country said it would increase its defence spending by 5.5 billion euros ($5.85 billion) over the next five years, on top of last year’s announcement of 19.2 billion euros over 10 years.

Denmark’s 2024 defence budget amounts to 4.8 billion euros.

Good reputation

Since the end of the Cold War, Denmark has become one of the United States’ staunchest allies, flexing its military muscle by participating in international operations from Kosovo to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Over the years, Denmark “earned a reputation for being an ally who stood up in difficult times (even though it) had a relatively small defence,” Jakob Linnet Schmidt, a researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, told AFP.

“Today we see a change of mind in Denmark towards taking care of our own security,” he said.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shone a spotlight on Denmark’s responsibilities as a NATO member, both with regard to its own capabilities and the Alliance’s target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defence.

“It’s peer pressure from the other NATO members — and especially to be on very friendly terms with the United States — that in my opinion has been the decisive issue” for the recent investments, said Peter Viggo Jakobsen, a researcher at the Royal Danish Defence College.

“Denmark was the only (NATO) country around the Baltic Sea that did not spend 2 percent” of GDP on defence, the NATO requirement, he said.

He said the country needed to act urgently because of “the general state of the armed forces”.

“We’re short of equipment. We’re short of personnel, and we’re struggling to meet our obligations.”

‘Will take decades’

Denmark’s partners can nonetheless still count on its help, as Copenhagen continues to offer at least the bare minimum.

A battalion of 800 troops was sent to Latvia to protect NATO’s eastern flank in 2022, but its mission was not renewed due to a lack of troops.

Other embarrassing issues — unrelated to each other, according to experts — have recently made headlines.

This winter, two Navy boats that were supposed to patrol the Arctic and North Atlantic remained docked in Greenland for seven weeks due to engine trouble.

In March, a Danish frigate sent to the Red Sea to protect commercial shipping from attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels was temporarily unable to use its anti-air missile system during a drone attack due to a malfunction.

Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen was not immediately informed of the incident, and after the announcement of additional costs related to new artillery systems he sacked Chief of Defence Flemming Lentfer after having “lost confidence” in him.

The country, which recently increased its mandatory military service from four to 11 months, is turning over a new leaf.

“There is broad support in parliament and the funds that are absolutely necessary have been allocated,” Ernstved Rasmussen said.

But no new materiel has been delivered to the Danish military yet, he noted, and questioned who would train the new conscripts given the shortage of officers.

“It is not possible to solve the problems within one or two years. This is going to take 10, 20, 30 years to bring back the defence forces to a state where we can call ourselves a trustworthy ally,” he lamented.

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