Denmark Launches Extended Military Conscription Amid Security Concerns

Women's Agenda

A female Danish soldier.

Around 1,600 Danish military recruits began the country’s new extended conscription programme on Monday, embarking on an 11-month period of service as Denmark accelerates its defence build-up in response to security concerns in the Arctic and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In 2024, Denmark announced plans to extend compulsory military service to include women for the first time and increase the standard period of service from four months to 11 months. The number of annual conscripts is also expected to rise from 5,000 to 7,500 by 2033.

The latest intake comes as Denmark prepares to deploy conscripts to Greenland for the first time later this month. More than 100 soldiers will serve on the island for one month, taking over operational duties previously carried out by professional troops.

The deployment comes as U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed interest in annexing the semi-autonomous Danish territory on national security grounds. The proposal has been firmly rejected by both the Danish and Greenlandic governments.

Speaking at last month’s NATO summit in Ankara, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Denmark was prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory, “including our own”.

According to Reuters, recruits will complete five months of basic military training followed by six months of operational service under the new programme, while the Danish Armed Forces are also introducing new conscription pathways, including a drone platoon within the Special Operations Command.

Denmark’s conscription system operates through a ballot for all medically fit 18-year-olds. However, for many years the armed forces have relied almost entirely on volunteers, with the lottery used only to fill any remaining places.

Denmark’s Nordic neighbours—Sweden, Finland and Norway—as well as the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, also maintain compulsory military service programmes.



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