Denmark expands conscription, sends conscripts to Greenland

Denmark has launched a major expansion of its military conscription system, with approximately 1,600 recruits beginning a new 11-month service term this week. The overhaul, which for the first time includes women and nearly triples the standard service period, is a direct response to heightened security concerns in Europe and the Arctic. In a landmark move, the country is also preparing to deploy conscripts to Greenland for operational duties later this month, testing their ability to support Denmark's strategic interests in the region.

The new conscripts reported for duty on August 3, initiating a program that extends service from four to 11 months. The first five months will focus on basic military training, followed by six months in operational roles across the armed forces, including new specialized tracks such as drone operations. The government aims to increase the annual intake from 5,000 to 7,500 conscripts by 2033. While Denmark uses a lottery system for all healthy 18-year-olds, its conscript quota has historically been filled almost entirely by volunteers.

This significant reform is driven by a transformed security landscape. Officials cite Russia's full-scale...