Joint Arctic Command

Last updated
Joint Arctic Command
Arktisk Kommando
Issittumi Sakkutooqarfik
Arktisk Kommandos.svg
Founded31 October 2012;11 years ago (2012-10-31)
CountriesFlag of Denmark (state).svg  Kingdom of Denmark
AllegianceFlag of Denmark (state).svg  Kingdom of Denmark
Branch Joined/shared
Size~130 civilian & military
Part of Danish Defence
HeadquartersNuuk Coat of Arms.gif  Nuuk, Greenland
Nickname(s)JACMD - Danish: AKO
Stable belt AKO Reg belt.png
Website Official Website
Official Facebook

The Joint Arctic Command (JACMD [1] - Danish : Arktisk Kommando; Faroese : Arktisk Kommando; Greenlandic : Issittumi Sakkutooqarfik) is a direct Level II[ clarification needed ] authority in the Danish Defence. Joint Arctic Command's primary mission in peacetime is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. [2] The command also handles tasks such as fisheries inspection, search and rescue (SAR), patient transport and other tasks that support the civil society. In short, the Joint Arctic Command handles military tasks, coast guard duties and disaster response - all in one organisation. [3]

Contents

History

On 31 October 2012, the Island Command Faroes and Island Command Greenland were merged under the name Joint Arctic Command, which is a joint operational command with serving personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force, Danish Armed Forces as well as civilians. As a result of the Defence Agreement 2010-2014, it was decided to close the two commands and replace them with the joint service Arctic Command. The command acts as the connection point and coordinator of cooperation between the armed forces and local authorities. [4] Both Island Commands Faroes and Greenland were previously also components of the NATO Command Structure (NCS), but there is no confirmation that the new Arctic Command is in the NCS as well.

It is the 1st Squadron that handles tasks pertaining to Arctic Ocean affairs, such as maritime defence and enforcement of sovereignty in Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters. The 1st Squadron is administratively based at Naval Base Frederikshavn.

It has provided units for international tasks, such as the environmental recovery vessel Gunnar Seidenfaden for the cleanup after the Prestige oil spill and the ocean patrol vessel Thetis for the protection force programme of WFP chartered ships at the Horn of Africa. Vessels operated by 1st Squadron.

In 2019, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a four-part documentary about the Joint Arctic Command. The language of the documentary is Danish. The documentary follows a team of Sirius and Station Specialist aspirants and their journey towards Greenland and employment in the Joint Arctic. Moreover, the documentary includes footage from SAR operations - including e.g. the effort in Nuugaatsiaq in 2017. [5]

Tasks and responsibilities

The Joint Arctic Command is responsible for a wide array of tasks in the Arctic. Some of the tasks are solved in collaboration with the Greenland Self-Government and the Faroese National Government, as well as the Greenland Police and the Faroe Islands Police.

Emblem of the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol Emblem of the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol.svg
Emblem of the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol
HDMS Knud Rasmussen, a Royal Danish Navy patrol vessel, transits off the bow of the United States Coast Guard cutter Juniper during a towing exercise while underway off Greenland's west coast on 7 September 2012 Knud Rasmussen in 2012 -a.jpg
HDMS Knud Rasmussen, a Royal Danish Navy patrol vessel, transits off the bow of the United States Coast Guard cutter Juniper during a towing exercise while underway off Greenland's west coast on 7 September 2012

Main sites

Assigned forces

The 1st Squadron of the Royal Danish Navy is primarily focused on national operations in and around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. As of 2023, the 1st Squadron is composed of:

After 2025 the Thetis-class vessels are to be replaced by the planned MPV80-class vessels. The new vessels will incorporate a modular concept enabling packages of different systems (for minehunting or minelaying for example) to be fitted to individual ships as may be required. [19] [20]

To support search and rescue as well as surveillance, Greenland's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) is able to call on C-130J and Challenger 604 aircraft of the Royal Danish Air Force if available. The C-130J is specifically tasked with the re-supply of Danish forces in Greenland. The Challenger 604 is also tasked with assisting in surveillance missions in the Arctic area and since 2021 one aircraft has been permanently stationed in Kangerlussuaq. [21] [22]

Commanding officer

No.PhotoName
(born–died)
Term of officeBranchRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1Major general
Stig Østergaard Nielsen
(born 1954)
31 October 201231 October 20153 years, 0 daysAir force [23]
Captain
Christian Nørgaard
(born 1957)
Acting
1 November 201515 February 2016106 daysNavy
2 Kim Jesper Jorgensen (160425-D-DW008-0005) (cropped).jpg Major general
Kim Jesper Jørgensen
(born 1962)
15 February 201614 December 20204 years, 303 daysAir force [24] [25]
Captain
Dan B. Termansen
(born 1967)
Acting
14 December 20201 June 2021169 daysNavy [26]
3 Rear Adm. Martin La Cour-Andersen (210505-G-NJ244-709) (cropped).jpg Counter admiral
Martin La Cour-Andersen
(born 1963)
1 June 20211 May 20231 year, 334 daysNavy [27]
Brigade general Poul Primdahl (231107-Z-PH379-1015) (cropped).jpg Brigade general
Poul Primdahl
(born ?)
Acting
1 May 202310 August 2023101 daysArmy [28]
4 Danish Major General Soren Andersen (cropped).jpg Major general
Søren Andersen
(born 1966)
10 August 2023Incumbent1 year, 73 daysArmy [29]

The Joint Arctic Command from a foreign policy perspective

In the past decade, there has been an increased awareness of the effects of climate change on the Arctic region. Due to climate change and the melting of land and sea ice, the Arctic region is becoming increasingly accessible. This has brought with it an increased awareness of the opportunity for extraction of natural resources as well as greater commercial and scientific activity in the Arctic. [10] Such development means that the Arctic is becoming increasingly geographically significant in these years. As much is evident in both the news and in academia. [30] [31] [32] [33]

Climate change is leading to increasing economic and research activity and at the same time has a significant security and defence policy impact. As a result, many actors have in recent years increased their focus on the Arctic. The current situation challenges the government's desire to maintain the Arctic as a stable and secure area without conflict. [31]

Therefore, it is the role of the Arctic Command to enforce Danish sovereignty and ensure the safety of residents and visitors.

Maritime Security Operations is an essential part of the Navy's tasks in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, where Denmark, by virtue of the unity of the realm, is co-responsible for maintaining security and stability.

Andreas Østhagen [34] has argued that the maritime activity levels are forcing Arctic coastal states to provide increasing presence and more capabilities. This mirrors the call for continued prioritisation of enhanced maritime security [10] that also exists. In February 2021 it was announced that a new agreement was reached that would strengthen the Armed Forces' capabilities in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. The conciliation group (forligskredsen) decided to grant DKK 1.5 billion from the defence settlement for 2018-2023 provide better opportunities to survey Denmark's territories in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. [35]

It is largely the expectation of increased activity in the Arctic in the form of transport, tourism, fishing and offshore activities that emphasises the importance of, and need for, maritime security in the form of the Danish navy in the Arctic. The Joint Arctic Command is therefore a significant and necessary tool to have for the Unity of the realm in order to enforce the foreign and domestic policy that the Danish government wishes to.

See also

Related Research Articles

Danish Armed Forces is the unified armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark charged with the defence of Denmark and its self-governing territories Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The military also promote Denmark's wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts and provide humanitarian aid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military of Greenland</span> Responsibility of the Danish Armed Forces

The defence of Greenland is the responsibility of the Kingdom of Denmark; the government of Greenland does not have control of Greenland's military or foreign affairs. In the history of Greenland there have been many changes of presence regarding who is in charge of the security of Greenlandic people and its land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Danish Navy</span> Sea-based branch of the Danish Defence

The Royal Danish Navy is the sea-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish territorial waters. Other tasks include surveillance, search and rescue, icebreaking, oil spill recovery and prevention as well as contributions to international tasks and forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GIUK gap</span> Passages between the northern Atlantic Ocean and the Norwegian Sea

The GIUK gap is an area in the northern Atlantic Ocean that forms a naval choke point. Its name is an acronym for Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom, the gap being the two stretches of open ocean among these three landmasses. It separates the Norwegian Sea and the North Sea from the open Atlantic Ocean. The term is typically used in relation to military topics. The area has for some nations been considered strategically important since the beginning of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inatsisartut</span> Greenlandic parliament

The Inatsisartut, also known as the Parliament of Greenland in English, is the unicameral parliament of Greenland, an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm. Established in 1979, it meets in Inatsisartut, on the islet of Nuuk Center in central Nuuk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Station Nord, Greenland</span> Military outpost

Station Nord is a military and scientific station in northeastern Greenland 1700 km north of the Arctic Circle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenland national football team</span> National football team representing Greenland

The Greenland national football team represents Greenland in non-FIFA international tournaments. It is controlled by the Football Association of Greenland. Although it has the same status as the Faroe Islands within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland is not, unlike the Faroe Islands national football team, a member of FIFA nor of any continental confederation and therefore is not eligible to enter the World Cup or other sanctioned tournaments. Most of the matches they have played have been against the Faroe Islands and Iceland, but neither of the two consider those games full internationals. In May 2024, it was announced that Greenland had officially applied to become a member of CONCACAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Island Command Greenland</span> Military unit

Island Command Greenland, or simply "GLK", was a Level.II authority responsible directly to the Defence Command. It was, among other things, responsible for the military defense of Greenland, maritime and sovereignty maintenance and enforcement, as well as search and rescue. Personnel assigned to the Danish liaison office at Thule Air Base (FOTAB) as well as the Sirius Patrol were also a part of the Greenland Command. Island Command Greenland was amalgamated with Island Command Faroes to a Joint Arctic Command on 31 October 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kangilinnguit</span> Place in Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark

Kangilinnguit or Kangilínguit, formerly GrønnedalGreenlandic pronunciation:[kaŋiliŋːuit], is a settlement and location of a former naval base in Greenland's Sermersooq municipality, located at the mouth of Arsuk Fjord in southwestern Greenland. The settlement had 160 inhabitants in 2010, most of whom are Danish Navy personnel, attached to Island Command Greenland headquarters.

<i>Thetis</i>-class patrol vessel

The Thetis-class ocean patrol vessels or ocean patrol frigates, also called Stanflex 3000, is a class of large patrol vessels built for the Royal Danish Navy. The class comprises four ships, all built and commissioned in the early 1990s. The ships' tasks are mainly maintenance of sovereignty, search and rescue, fishery inspection and support to local authorities. The operation areas are normally Greenland and the Faroe Islands, but the vessels also operate near Iceland on transit between Greenland and the Faroe Islands, and near Denmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish Realm</span> Kingdom of Denmark and its autonomous territories

The Danish Realm, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply Denmark, is a sovereign state and refers to the area over which the monarch of Denmark is head of state. It consists of metropolitan Denmark—the kingdom's territory in continental Europe and sometimes called "Denmark proper" —and the realm's two autonomous regions: the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. The relationship between the three parts of the Kingdom is also known as The unity of the Realm.

Island Command Faroes was the military unit on the Faroe Islands. It was the military command of the Faroe Islands, the Faroe Islands airspace and the Faroe Islands territorial waters. It supported the local government with military advice as well as search and rescue capabilities. Island Command Faroes was amalgamated with Island Command Greenland to a Joint Arctic Command on 31 October 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eskadrille 721</span> Military unit

Eskadrille 721 of the Royal Danish Air Force is the sole squadron in 'Air Transport Wing Aalborg' of the Danish Defence. It provides tactical transport for all parts of the Danish state.

Maritime domain awareness (MDA) is defined by the International Maritime Organization as the effective understanding of anything associated with the maritime domain that could impact the security, safety, economy, or environment. MDA is said to work as a ‘key enabler’ for other maritime security issues, such as anti-piracy patrols, in the way that in order to do effective patrols you need to have the ability of conducting effective MDA. The maritime domain is defined as all areas and things of, on, under, relating to, adjacent to, or bordering on a sea, ocean, or other navigable waterway, including all maritime-related activities, infrastructure, people, cargo, and vessels and other conveyances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic policy of the Kingdom of Denmark</span> Danish foreign policy

The Arctic Policy of the Kingdom of Denmark defines the Kingdom's foreign relations and policies with other Arctic countries, and the Kingdom's strategy for the Arctic on issues occurring within the geographic boundaries of "the Arctic" or related to the Arctic or its peoples. In order to clearly understand the Danish geopolitical importance of the Arctic, it is necessary to mention Denmark's territorial claims in areas beyond its exclusive EEZ in areas around the Faroe Islands and north of Greenland covering parts of the North Pole, which is also claimed by Russia.

The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) is a joint service unit under the Ministry of Defence, tasked with purchase, service and support of equipment within the Danish Defence. It used to be known as the Danish Defence Material Service.

The Arctic Coast Guard Forum (ACGF) is an organisation which unites the coast guards of eight Arctic states: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. The ACGF's main task is "to foster safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime activity in the Arctic." Since its establishment in 2015, the ACGF has been enabling the coast guards from each member state to cooperate towards common objectives. The establishment of the ACGF is a response to the increasing levels of activities in the maritime domain in the Arctic, and with that associated need for coast guard services.

The Arctic policy of the Faroe Islands is a part of the Faroese government's policies and through the joint strategy of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as within the Arctic Council.

Denmark participates in NATO as a maritime security ally. It has a maritime heritage and a position bridging Europe and the Arctic.

References

  1. "Navigation in Greenland". www.dma.dk. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  2. Udenrigsministeriet. "Forsvarets opgaveløsning i Arktis". Udenrigsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  3. "Denmark's military capacities in the Arctic Region, FOU Alm.del Bilag 138" (PDF). ft.dk.
  4. Forsvaret.dk/AKOENG: The headquarters of protection Joint Arctic Command to Nuuk Archived June 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  5. DRTV - Arktisk kommando (in Danish), retrieved 2021-05-23
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Arktisk Kommando". Arktisk Kommando (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  7. Gerard O'Dwyer. "Denmark Boosts Resources for Arctic Security" DefenseNews, 8 October 2013. Accessed: 20 October 2013.
  8. Værnsfælles Kommando, Arktisk Kommando (June 2020). "Eftersøgnings- Og Redningstjenesten I Grønland" (PDF). Forsvaret.dk . Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  9. "Naviair - Aktivitetsområder". www.naviair.dk. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Bilag 151: Analyse om styrkelse af Forsvarsministeriets opgaveløsning i Arktis". www.ft.dk. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  11. "Oliespisende bakterier i Arktis". Forsvaret (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  12. 1 2 "Søopmåling Grønland 2016". gst.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  13. "Arktisk Kommando, som indsætter inspektionsskibene i Nordatlanten, støtter Grønlands Naturinstituts Klimaforskningscenter". Facebook . Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  14. Forsvaret.dk/AKOENG: New headquarters for the Protection Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk Archived June 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  15. "Arctic Command Linkedin page" . Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  16. "Consul U.S. Consulate, Nuuk, Greenland". U.S. Embassy & Consulate in the Kingdom of Denmark. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
  17. Forsvaret.dk/AKOENG: The defense tenant locations in Tórshavn Archived June 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  18. "Structure of the Navy". Danish Defence. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  19. Atherton, Kelsey (3 July 2023). "Denmark's new modular patrol boats will tackle a changing Arctic". Popular Science.
  20. McGwin, Kevin (12 July 2023). "Denmark is stepping up as an Arctic sea power". Polar Journal.
  21. "The Search and Rescue Service in Greenland SAR - Greenland" (PDF). Rescue Council for Shipping and Aviation. June 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  22. Augustesen, Søren (12 December 2022). "Viking Warriors: What does the future hold for the Royal Danish Air Force". Key Aero.
  23. Mølgaard, Noah (31 October 2012). "Billeder: Arktisk Kommando officielt åbnet" (in Danish). Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  24. "Ny chef for Arktisk Kommando" (in Danish). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  25. "Generalmajor Kim Jesper Jørgensen bliver ny chef for Forsvarsministeriets Materiel- og Indkøbsstyrelse" (in Danish). Ministry of Defence. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  26. Toft, Mathies Hvid; Wille, Andreas (26 March 2021). "Masser af nyis gør det svært at overvåge efter olie fra trawler" (in Danish). Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  27. Mikkelsen, Steen (11 March 2021). "Større rokade af chefer". hod.dk (in Danish). Hovedorganisationen af Officerer i Danmark. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  28. "Ny fungerende chef for Arktisk Kommando" [New Acting Commanding Officer Joint Arctic Command]. forsvaret.dk (in Danish). 3 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  29. Forsvarskommandoen (7 August 2023). "Forsvarschefen udnævner ny chef for Arktisk Kommando". Forsvaret (in Danish). Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  30. Kidmose, J., Kristensen, K. S. & Struwe, L. B. (2015). Maritim sikkerhed i Arktis:  Magtanvendelse og myndighedsudøvelse, Center for Military Studies, University of Copenhagen, 1-51.
  31. 1 2 Rahbek-Clemmensen, J. (2014). “Arctic-vism” in Practice: The Challenges Facing Denmark’s Political-Military Strategy in the High North. In Heininen, L., Exner-Pirot, H., Plouffe, J. (eds.). Arctic Yearbook 2014: Human Capital in the High North.
  32. Wheelersburg, R. P. (2020). North Atlantic Small State Security 2025: The West Nordic Security Zone. In Brady, A & Thorhallsson, B. (eds.). The World of Small States: Small States and the New Security Environment. Vol. 7.
  33. Udenrigsministeriet (2011). Kingdom of Denmark Strategy for the Arctic 2011–2020. Copenhagen: Udenrigsministeriet.
  34. Østhagen, A. (2015). Coastguards in peril: A study of Arctic defence collaboration, Defence Studies, 15:2, 143-160.
  35. "Politisk aftale om Arktis Kapacitetspakke til 1,5 mia. kroner". Forsvarsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-05-23.