Denmark begins extended military conscription

Denmark has launched an expanded military conscription program, with 1,600 recruits beginning an 11-month service on Monday. This marks a significant shift as the country accelerates its defense buildup, influenced by Arctic security concerns and the war in Ukraine.

The new policy, announced in 2024, extends conscription to women for the first time and increases the standard service duration from four to 11 months. The number of conscripts is projected to rise to 7,500 annually by 2033, up from the current 5,000.

This expansion comes as Denmark prepares to deploy conscripts to Greenland for the first time later this month. Over 100 soldiers will undertake operational tasks for one month, replacing professional troops. This deployment gains political weight given U.S. President Donald Trump's past attempts to annex the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen affirmed Denmark's commitment to defending NATO territory at a recent summit. Conscripts will undergo five months of basic training followed by six months of operational service. New tracks, including a drone platoon, are also being introduced. Denmark joins Nordic neighbors Sweden, Finland, and Norway, as well as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, in operating conscription-based military service.

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Now we have 11 months, and I feel like you ​can really get into ​it, really experience ⁠it and get a lot deeper into the military.