Denmark Looks To Boost Greenland Defenses

Denmark bolsters its Arctic claims by strengthening defenses in Greenland

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Airfield facilities for the F-16 are few and far between on the massive island of Greenland.

While world attention is focused on Ukraine and Iraq, the nations surrounding the Arctic Circle have been quietly flexing their polar muscle.

Russia has revealed plans to re-open polar airfields and naval bases on remote islands, while Canada has used the summer light to train its troops in the region. For those two countries, exercises in the higher latitudes are fairly straightforward, with their significant air assets and—if necessary—limited land access.

But for Denmark, which is responsible for the defense of the world’s second-largest island, Greenland, Arctic operations are considerably more challenging. However, the Danish government is keen to exert its sovereignty as the ice retreats and the region becomes more accessible.

While Greenland is mostly autonomous, Denmark looks after the island’s foreign and defense policy, although its capabilities for the latter are limited partly because of the huge distance between them. The two capitals, Copenhagen and Nuuk, are 1,900 nm. apart.

Currently, the Danish air force carries out sovereignty patrols and fishery protection flights over Greenland for about two weeks every month, while Lockheed C-130J Hercules are deployed to support the Sirius Sledge Patrol, a Danish navy unit that works in pairs to enforce sovereignty in the vast national parks in the northeast of the island. The C-130 flights air drop supplies to the patrols, breaking the monotony of a lonely existence in the high north.

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The extraordinary environment of Greenland makes for fantastic flying, but survival could be a challenge in the event of an ejection.

But Denmark now wants to enhance its capabilities in Greenland, to prove it can deliver more military assets to the island if needed, sending a significant message to other Arctic nations. Perhaps the most challenging of these demonstrations came in August, when it conducted a three-day-long deployment of three Royal Danish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons to Kangerlussuaq (Sondrestrom) airport in western Greenland—the first time the air arm had dispatched fighters to the country.

“This deployment uncovered a number of issues we need to address if we had to deploy the F-16 to Greenland,” said Maj. John Kristensen, deputy commander of 730 Esk and detachment commander for the deployment, speaking to Aviation Week at the Belgian Air Force airshow at Kleine Brogel Sept. 13.

The Danish air force already has hangarage and facilities at -Kangerlussuaq, which have mainly supported visits from the Hercules and Bombardier Challenger aircraft, never fighters.

“We had to deploy all the equipment for F-16 operations, emergency cables for the runways, and also bring our own liquid oxygen, as they do not produce that in Greenland,” he added.

Kristensen and his pilots also had to consider their survival. Extra layers of clothing were adopted, and operations—particularly over water, including a 700-mi. flight between Kangerlussuaq and the U.S. airbase at Thule—saw the F-16s escorted by a Challenger CL604 multi-mission aircraft fitted with satellite communications, something the F-16s did not have. The Challenger also has the ability to drop a life raft to a downed pilot, supporting him for up to 12 hr. until help—likely in the form of a nearby ship—can pick him up. Rescue by helicopter in the region is unlikely because of the huge distances involved.

Kristensen says there are now plans for a larger-scale exercise, which could see 6-8 F-16s deployed for 2-3 weeks sometime between spring and fall 2015. A key part of such a deployment will be to use the Litening G4 targeting pod to assist Danish cartographers to produce updated shipping charts for Greenland’s eastern coastline.

The Litening pods will use their geo-location capability to plot points along the coast that the mapmakers can combine with satellite imagery to produce more accurate charts This will improve safety for shipping along the eastern coastline, a key concern for Danish officials, as the number of cruise ships sailing Arctic waters increases every year.

Recogizing that a Challenger isn’t always available for missions in Greenland, officials are in the process of modifying the Hercules with a pylon that could carry an EO/IR camera or targeting pod, allowing the aircraft to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconaissance missions. However Denmark’s four-strong Hercules fleet is already under pressure supporting deployments elsewhere, including in Mali. Operations to Greenland once represented 80% of the mission load of the Danish Hercules fleet, but in the early 2000s this fell to as low as 20%; this is now being re-balanced as the focus turns back to Greenland.

“Operations to Greenland are similar to distances to the southern Sahara,” says Col. Karsten Jensen, head of the Danish Transport Wing, speaking at the Military Airlift Conference in London Sept. 16.

“But this is a national mission on a strategic scale . . . there is appetite to do more of this and send a political signal,” he added.

Aviation Week

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Post 2020, the Danes and Norwegians will be starting deployments of the F-35 in the Arctic.

Because they are twin-engined and technically well suited for what Canada needs. But I agree that, too, are not exactly cheap.. maybe even sensor fusion or AESA are somewhat of a stretch.

Somewhat of a stretch…? More like utterly useless assuming war with another country isn’t a consideration.

Austin, what I’m getting at is whether its clear that there is no LUH competition anymore?

The buy-and-make LUH plan announced in October remains absolutely unchanged. If Kamov wants in, it needs to tie-up with an Indian private company that will manufacture it under license.

The Indian side did NOT endorse Rogozin’s proposal, and without first receiving a confirmed order from the MoD, setting up a Ka-226 line in India is simply not feasible.

“I am pleased that Russia has offered to fully manufacture in India one of its most advanced helicopters. It includes the possibility of exports from India. It can be used for both military and civilian use,” Mr Modi said.
Link

^ No agreement. Just an offer.

Too bad is not a proper replacement for any of those…well, maybe the F-16 and AV-8B

Everything thing else’s role, good luck with that…

F-16 and AV-8B and legacy Hornet.

In any non-permissible (i.e MANPAD infested) environment, the A-10 operates with altitude restrictions (15 kft during the Balkans IIRC). Given that the A-10’s primary armament today is the Maverick & JDAM (rather than the GAU-8), any aircraft with an LDP and PGMs will be an adequate replacement at the CAS role. The F-35A with its HMDS, EODAS & EOTS will do splendidly (once a ROVER solution is implemented).

As far as air superiority is concerned, the F-15 has always been superior to the F-16 but latter is still no slouch. Similarly, while the F-22 is the ideal replacement for the F-15C, the F-35A will do just fine while remaining far more cost effective as a multi-role fighter.

5% for a single project out of hundreds currently running, that is for me definitely not “just about”….

That’s five projects not one.

1. F-16 replacement
2. A-10 replacement
3. F/A-18 replacement
4. AV-8B replacement
5. F-15C replacement (eventually)

[Seven projects if you add the F-117 and F-111A to that.]

That’s 5% of the budget constituting the bulk of US airpower over the coming years to come (with the remainder composed of SH, LRS-B & UCLASS). As a proportion of their total budget, I doubt anybody else is spending less on tactical air.

You are assuming the contractual conditions were all defined and clearly laid out at time of RFP. This is very much dubious, as it would depends of the individual selected contenders. So that HAL was to be prime industrial body ,is likely to have been stated, but the contractual conditions under which this is to occur were likely not. Besides as I recall, contenders were forbidden from soliciting any local industries in the context of the MMRCA prior selection. So I do re-iterate ,on thinking HAL attitude to be the main roadblock.

Where do you recall this from? Because Saab had a formal agreement with Tata for the Gripen E.

Think about it, why would HAL align to any of Dassault requests or demands, when they are guaranteed from day 1 to be the key industrial no matter what on this. It is indeed open bar for them, electing partnership and investment of own choosing over the ones suggested by Dassault as guarantee. As it appears, it is HAL requesting the Dassault liability clause, except they have not been able to clearly lay it down and refuse or delay providing the counter part guarantees. Hence this leave Dassault absolutely no control nor control points over HAL doings, only being liable for it. Justifiably not acceptable for any sane contractor.

Assuming Dassault was operating in good faith, can you explain why it tied up with an oil company famous for its political connections instead of the half a dozen existing private firms in the defence sector?

My guess, new government in India will likely have a chat with HAL, liability clause will soften and Dassault with the French government as guarantee will agree to them.

New govt’s been around for six months now and the contract signing is unlikely to take place this fiscal year according to most media reports. Also, there’s the little matter of the cost, which hasn’t been negotiated yet.

The responsibility of foreign contrator for HAL products WAS NOT PART of the RFP. Otherwise noone would have bid.

How do you know there’s one single all-encompassing liability clause (as opposed of multiple ones dealing with different aspects of it incl. areas out of Dassault’s control) ?

And everyone would have bid for contract regardless. Insuring HAL assembled product isn’t the bankruptcy threatening super-calamity that you’re making it out to be. Certainly not compared to what an oil company would deliver.

French defense minister announced a fifth tranche order in january. And the amount of study plans being launched recently are somehow a clue that there will be more orders (PEAs LEA, TRAGEDAC, MELBAA…). We still have several mirage squadrons (2000-D and -5) to be replaced.

The MoD’s 2013 White Paper declared a reduction in the combat fleet to 225 units. 180 Rafales have been ordered so far. Will the French Air Force retire all serving Mirages by 2022, to accommodate the extra Rafale orders?

According to latest declarations of the minister, SRSAM (is it the same as Maitri?) is still being co developed.

Same as Maitri. Its still stuck in doldrums with both the IAF and IN rather ambivalent to it according to recent reports (see Missiles and Munitions subforum).