Structure of the Royal Danish Army explained

This article lists the structure of the Royal Danish Army in 1989 and in May 2020:

Royal Danish Army in 1989

The army headquarters was located in Karup and tasked to train, maintain and prepare the army for war. However operational control in peacetime rested with the Western and the Eastern Regional Command. In wartime the former would have transferred its units to LANDJUT, while the latter would have become the LANDZEALAND command.

Western Regional Command

See main article: Western Regional Command (Denmark).

The Western Regional Command was based in Aarhus and commanded by a major general. In case of war it would have transferred command of all its units to NATO's Commander, Allied Land Forces Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland (LANDJUT). The command was responsible for the South Jutland, Ribe, Vejle, Ringkjøbing, Viborg, North Jutland and Aarhus counties, which together form the Danish part of the Jutland peninsula, and also for the island of Funen, which with the surrounding islands formed the Funen County.

Eastern Regional Command

See main article: Eastern Regional Command (Denmark).

The Eastern Regional Command was based in Ringsted and commanded by a major general, who in case of war would have become Commander, Allied Land Forces Zealand (LANDZEALAND). The command was responsible for the Copenhagen and Frederiksberg municipalities, and the Copenhagen, Frederiksborg, Roskilde, West Zealand and Storstrøm counties.

Territorial Command Zealand(ELK)

Bornholms Værn

In wartime the island of Bornholm was, due to the long distance from Zealand, an independent command. Furthermore, agreements signed after World War II forbade the stationing on Bornholm or reinforcing of Bornholm, by foreign troops. Therefore, the island was only guarded by one Battle Group with a single active light infantry battalion. However, during the transition to war this Battle Group would have been augmented and reinforced by local reservists.

Army Command, 2020

The Army Command (Danish: Hærkommandoen) is one of seven staffs of the Danish military's Joint Defense Command in Karup and headed by the Chief of the Army. The command controls all units of the Royal Danish Army and consists of about 110 persons, 40 of which are part of the Army Command's Army Support Unit.[2]

Multinational Division North

The NATO-assigned Multinational Division North is a joint Danish, Estonian and Latvian higher headquarters based in Ādaži near Latvia's capital Riga. In case of a crisis in the Baltic Region the division would take command of NATO reinforcements deployed to the region.[4]

1st Brigade

The 1st Brigade (Danish: 1. Brigade - 1 BDE) is based in Holstebro and is the army's reaction force. Assigned to NATO's Response Force the brigade is able to deploy on short notice for international peace-making and peace-keeping operations.

2nd Brigade

The 2nd Brigade (Danish: 2. Brigade - 2 BDE) is based in Slagelse and consists of five battalions. The brigade is responsible for the training and tactical development of the army's reconnaissance, tank and light infantry formations, and the training of the army's reserve personnel.[16]

Danish Artillery Regiment

The Danish Artillery Regiment (Danish: Danske Artilleriregiment - DAR) provides the army with artillery units and manages the ammunition development. The regiment is also developing new air-defense capabilities for the army.[22]

Engineer Regiment

The Engineer Regiment (Danish: Ingeniørregimentet - IGR) trains troops and provides units in the combat engineers, ordnance disposal, construction, geospatial and CBRN Defense specialities.[26] [6]

Command Support Regiment

The Command Support Regiment (Danish: Føringsstøtteregimentet - FSR) provides headquarters and communication information system (CIS) capabilities to the Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Air Force, Royal Danish Navy, Joint Arctic Command, Special Operations Command and NATO.[26] [6]

Intelligence Regiment

The Intelligence Regiment (Danish: Efterretningsregimentet - EFR) based in Varde provides the army with military intelligence, and tactical and strategic reconnaissance capabilities.

Logistic Regiment

The Logistic Regiment (Danish: Trænregiment) based in Aalborg is the military logistics regiment of the Royal Danish Army, providing supply, transport, and medical services.[30]

Royal Life Guards

The Royal Life Guards (Danish: Den Kongelige Livgarde - LG) is a regiment based in Høvelte and consists of two battalions and one company. The regiment's I Battalion is operationally assigned to the 1st Brigade, while the II Battalion is a training unit. The regiment's Guard Company is based at the Rosenborg Barracks on Gothersgade street in central Copenhagen and guards the Danish royal family's residences.[8] [31]

Guard Hussar Regiment

The Guard Hussar Regiment (Danish: Gardehusarregimentet - GHR) is based in Slagelse and consists of three battalions, I and II Battalions which are operationally assigned to the 1st Brigade, and V Battalion, which is assigned to the 2nd Brigade. The regiment's III Battalion is the army's only reconnaissance unit. The regiment's Mounted Squadron provides mounted escorts for the Danish royal family and for Royal Danish Army ceremonies.[9]

Jutland Dragoon Regiment

The Jutland Dragoon Regiment (Danish: Jydske Dragonregiment - JDR) is based in Holstebro and consists of three battalions, which are operationally assigned to 1st Brigade respectively 2nd Brigade. The regiment's I Armoured Battalion is the army's only unit equipped with main battle tanks.[34]

Schleswig Regiment of Foot

The Schleswig Regiment of Foot (Danish: Slesvigske Fodregiment - SLFR) was reactivated on 1 January 2019 to manage the military base in Haderslev, home of the regiment's XIII Battalion, which is operationally assigned to the 2nd Brigade.[21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Nigel Thomas & Ron Volstad (1987). NATO Armies Today, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, p.8.
  2. Web site: Hærkommandoen . Forsvaret . 14 May 2020.
  3. Web site: Hærens organisation . Danish Army . 28 April 2019 . 28 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190428100231/https://www2.forsvaret.dk/omos/organisation/haeren/organisation/Pages/default.aspx . dead .
  4. Web site: Multinational Division North . Forsvaret . 13 May 2020.
  5. Web site: Multinational Division North . Multinational Division North . 13 May 2020.
  6. Lindholm . Leon . Thestrup . Capt. Kristian . Føringsstøtteregimentet - en realitet . Telegrafen . March 2019 . 7 . 2 . 14–17 . 22 March 2020 . Telegrafens Venner . Danish.
  7. Web site: 1. Brigades enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  8. Web site: Den Kongelige Livgarde . Forsvaret . 13 May 2020.
  9. Web site: Gardehusarregimentets opgaver og enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  10. Web site: Velkommen til II Panserinfanteribataljon . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  11. Web site: 1. Artilleriafdeling . Danske Artilleriregiment . 14 May 2020.
  12. Web site: Ingeniørregimentet - Organisation . Forsvaret . 14 May 2020 . 31 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190831145538/https://www2.forsvaret.dk/omos/organisation/haeren/organisation/ingenioerregimentet/Pages/organisation.aspx . dead .
  13. Web site: 1. Panseringeniørbataljon . Forsvaret . 14 May 2020.
  14. Web site: Efterretningsregimentets opgaver og enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  15. Web site: 1. Logistikbataljon . Forsvaret . 14 May 2020.
  16. Web site: 2. Brigade . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  17. Web site: 2. Brigades enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  18. Web site: Velkommen til Panserbataljonen . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  19. Web site: Gardehusarregimentet V Uddannelsesbataljon - Enheder . Forsvaret . 13 May 2020.
  20. Web site: Velkommen til Uddannelsesbataljonen . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  21. Web site: Slesvigske Fodregiment - Opgaver og enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  22. Web site: Danish Artillery Regiment . Danske Artilleriregiment . 14 May 2020.
  23. Web site: Danske Artilleriregiments opgaver og enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  24. Web site: 2. Kapacitetsafdeling . Danske Artilleriregiment . 14 May 2020.
  25. Web site: 3. Sikkerheds- og Ballistikafdeling . Danske Artilleriregiment . 14 May 2020.
  26. Web site: Føringsstøtteregimentet . Forsvaret . 13 May 2020 . 31 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190831103653/https://www2.forsvaret.dk/omos/organisation/haeren/organisation/fsr/Pages/default.aspx . dead .
  27. Web site: Vores enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  28. Web site: Ingeniørregimentet - 3 CBRN & KONSTBTN . Forsvaret . 14 May 2020 . 31 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190831145608/https://www2.forsvaret.dk/omos/organisation/haeren/organisation/ingenioerregimentet/Pages/3_CBRN_KONSTBTN.aspx . dead .
  29. Web site: Multinational Division North . Multinational Division North . 13 May 2020.
  30. Web site: Opgaver og enheder . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.
  31. Web site: Vagtkompagniet Den Kongelige Livgarde . Forsvaret . 13 May 2020.
  32. Web site: Vagtkompagniet organisation . Forsvaret . 13 May 2020.
  33. Web site: Hesteskadron . Forsvaret . 13 May 2020.
  34. Web site: Enheder hos Jydske Dragonregiment . Forsvaret . 19 November 2023.