Denmark considers boosting Arctic surveillance with P-8 Poseidon aircraft

DR reports that Denmark is considering acquiring Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to strengthen surveillance across the Arctic and North Atlantic. The aircraft is already in use by Norway and the UK and is regarded as one of the most advanced systems for tracking submarines and conducting reconnaissance missions.

According to DR, the Danish government is expected to finalize a new Arctic and North Atlantic defense agreement in the near future. The deal, backed by the parties to Denmark’s current defense accord, will include a broad set of investments in the Royal Danish Air Force, including fighter jets, transport aircraft and long-range drones. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told DR that Denmark is interested in Nordic cooperation and is exploring the possibility of collaborating with Norway, which operates five P-8s.

Colonel Hans Martin Steiro of the Norwegian Air Force, speaking to DR during last year’s NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, called the P-8 “the most modern patrol aircraft” for submarine detection and recommended it strongly for regional defense.

“I strongly recommend the P-8,” Steiro said. “Whether the money should be spent on aircraft or vessels is a conversation NATO must have based on operational needs. But to maintain persistent presence in these waters—whether the aircraft is British, German, American, or Norwegian—we’ll need more P-8s working together.”

Currently, Denmark relies on a mix of frigates, inspection ships, and Challenger surveillance aircraft to monitor the North Atlantic and Arctic. But according to DR, none of these platforms are equipped with the necessary systems to detect submarines. Plans to equip Danish frigates with towed sonar systems were made in 2018 but have only recently reached the contracting stage. The Challenger aircraft, meanwhile, have faced operational problems, making it difficult to maintain continuous surveillance.

These gaps have left blind spots in the so-called GIUK gap—the key maritime corridor between Greenland, Iceland, the UK and the Faroe Islands. NATO considers the GIUK gap critical, as Russian nuclear submarines must pass through it to reach the Atlantic. Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service has warned that Russia is actively mapping the region and may be preparing to sabotage undersea cables and infrastructure in the event of a conflict.