Denmark Is Preparing To Mobilize 180,000 Military Personnel
- 31.05.2026, 14:26
Young men and women will be called up for compulsory conscription in almost equal proportions.
The Danish authorities are preparing for a potential mobilization of 180,000 military personnel in case of war.
This was reported by DR with reference to documents on the country's defense policy. According to these documents, the mobilization reserve will be formed from fully trained conscripts who will undergo 11-month service in the Danish armed forces.
Up to 13,000 people will be drafted into the armed forces annually, and the mobilization resource will include men and women under the age of 65.
To maintain the capacity of the armed forces, 10-day training camps are envisioned for ex-military personnel for 10 years after they complete their service.
As noted by Militarny, Denmark already used this model during the Cold War, when it was preparing for a likely conflict between NATO and the USSR.
What the model envisions
In 2030, the country will need 6,500 conscripts annually. The potential recruitment base will cover 64,518 people aged 18 and over, including 31,634 women and 32,884 men.
By 2033, the number of conscripts will increase to 10,000 per year. The estimated number of 18-year-olds will be 61,573, of which 29,956 women and 31,617 men. Thus, every sixth representative of this generation will serve, which means a significant increase in the mobilization load on young people.
In 2035, the annual draft is expected to reach 13 thousand people. In this scenario, the service will cover almost every fifth of 65,483 citizens aged 18 and older (31,763 women and 33,720 men), which will eventually turn military service into a mass mandatory element of preparation of citizens for war.
Thus, by 2040 Denmark will form a 40-thousand-strong army, which will be supplemented with mobilization resources if necessary.
Since this year, Denmark has started conscripting women for compulsory military service. At the same time, the state continues to conscript men under a lottery system designed to compensate for potential shortages of volunteers.
In general, Denmark is one of Ukraine's most powerful allies. The country's government has already pledged nearly 9.6 billion Danish kroner (about 1.28 billion euros) in military aid for this year.
Denmark has become the first Western country to directly finance the purchase of weapons from Ukrainian manufacturers for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.