Denmark Faces Drone Threats: A Call for Enhanced Defense Measures

Tue Oct 14 2025 15:01:37 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Recent drone incursions at Danish airports have exposed vulnerabilities in the nation's defense strategy, prompting discussions on potential military responses and a re-evaluation of national security protocols.

Drone sightings at military and civilian airfields across Denmark have created safety concerns and highlighted vulnerabilities in the country's infrastructure. Danish officials are contemplating military responses and ramping up security measures to address this hybrid warfare threat amid speculation about possible foreign involvement.

Drone attacks leave Denmark exposed - and searching for response

Drone incidents at airports and military bases all over Jutland, western Denmark, have not caused any harm or damage - and yet they have exposed the country's defences as vulnerable to attack.

In an era of hybrid warfare, there is a sense of embarrassment in Denmark - a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance - that its critical infrastructure has become so vulnerable.

Aalborg and Billund airports had to close on Wednesday night, while drones were spotted at Esbjerg, Sonderborg, and Skrydstrup. Aalborg also serves as a military base and Skrydstrup is home to some of the air force's F-35 and F-16 war planes. Drones were also seen over the Jutland Dragoon regiment at Holstebro.

There have since been reports of police investigating drone activities around Denmark's oil and gas platforms in the North Sea, and near the central port of Korsor.

Aalborg airport briefly closed again on Thursday night following another suspected drone sighting, police and national media said on Friday.

The question now facing the country's military is how to respond.

None of the drones have been shot down - defence chiefs decided it was safer not to, but that is not a long-term solution.

Denmark is not alone; other countries like Norway, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania have all faced similar hybrid warfare threats recently. Estonia and Poland have both invoked NATO's Article 4 this month after incursions by Russian aircraft.

The Danish government is currently assessing whether to invoke Article 4, a provision allowing NATO members to consult when a member's security is threatened.

This is a serious moment for Denmark, prompting its leaders to convene a press conference where Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen described the drone incursions as a 'hybrid attack'. He refrained from attributing blame due to a lack of concrete evidence, although Russia's potential involvement has not been ruled out.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen echoed these concerns, emphasizing Russia's ongoing threat to Europe and Denmark. This situation has left airports temporarily closed, exposed vulnerabilities at military sites, and heightened public concern.

Experts agree that Denmark's approach may not be sustainable. Discussions are underway to establish more effective defenses, including an integrated layered air defense, and participation in a NATO conference to address drone security.

The ongoing drone incursions serve as a wake-up call for Denmark, pressing its government and military to bolster their defenses and reconsider their current strategies against potential aerial threats.