Denmark launches extended military conscription, first 1,600 recruits begin 11-month service

Published Aug 3, 02:50 PM UTC

Denmark has launched its extended military conscription program, with around 1,600 recruits beginning an 11-month service period on August 3, 2026. The move is part of Denmark's accelerated defense build-up driven by Arctic security pressures, the war in Ukraine, and U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated attempts to annex Greenland. The conscription period has been extended from four to 11 months, and for the first time includes women. Denmark plans to increase the annual number of conscripts to 7,500 by 2033 from 5,000. Later this month, Denmark will deploy conscripts to Greenland for the first time, with a company of over 100 soldiers taking over operational tasks from professional troops for one month. The Danish Armed Forces are also introducing new conscription tracks, including a drone platoon at the Special Operations Command. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated at the NATO summit in Ankara that Denmark is ready to defend every inch of NATO territory.