In an alarming development, a Danish navy missile on the HDMS Niels Juel frigate is at risk of unintended launch due to a technical glitch uncovered during testing.
According to Daily Mail, this incident prompted Denmark to shut down a part of its airspace and issue warnings to nearby maritime traffic about the potential danger of an accidental missile strike.
During a routine missile testing session at the Korsoer naval base, located to the west of Copenhagen, an unforeseen technical error was detected in a Harpoon missile situated on the Danish frigate HDMS Niels Juel. This malfunction has left the missile's booster activated, with current measures unable to deactivate it. The Danish military has publicly acknowledged the issue, confirming that the missile's launch mechanism is in an uncertain state, posing a considerable risk of accidental activation.
Unexpected Dangers Linger in Danish Waters
The Danish military reassured the public that there was no imminent threat of an explosion from the missile or that it could travel further than the booster's capability would allow.
However, they gravely noted the possibility of the missile launching unintentionally. Should this occur, missile fragments could fall into the waters surrounding Denmark, endangering nearby ships and marine traffic.
This technical mishap with the Harpoon missile first came to light on a Thursday, creating a sudden surge of concern for maritime and air traffic safety in the vicinity of the naval base. Concurrently, a military drill was underway in the Storebaelt Strait, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the missile's instability.
Immediate Action to Mitigate Risk
To counter the potential hazard, Denmark's Maritime Authority took swift action by suspending shipping and overflight activities in the Great Belt, a critical and busy maritime lane. This precautionary measure underscored the seriousness with which Danish authorities regarded the threat, with an estimated danger zone delineated approximately 4.3 miles around Korsoer and around 0.62 miles above sea level, strategically excluding areas towards key infrastructures like the bridge and tunnel crossing the Storebaelt.
Communications were immediately dispatched to ships in the vicinity, alerting them to the possible dangers, and airspace within the designated risk area was promptly closed. The Danish military, in a statement, emphasized the precariousness of the situation: "The launch vehicle, the booster, is activated, and currently cannot be disabled. Until the booster is disabled, there is a risk that the missile could launch and fly several kilometers away."
A Leadership Shake-Up Amidst Security Concerns
The missile mishap coincides with another significant incident involving the Danish Navy. Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen took decisive action by dismissing Chief of Defence Flemming Lentfer.
The dismissal was attributed to a breach of trust, stemming from Lentfer's inadequate communication regarding a malfunction within the weapon system of another Danish frigate, the Iver Huitfeldt, during a drone attack orchestrated by Houthi militants in the Red Sea the previous month.
The issue with the Iver Huitfeldt's weapons system came to public attention only upon the ship's return to Denmark, even though local defense media had reported on it earlier. The minister criticized Lentfer for not providing detailed information about the incident, which occurred on March 9, stating that this represented a "breach of trust."
Conclusion
In the backdrop of these military mishaps, Denmark, a founding member of NATO, has announced plans to boost its military spending. This decision reflects the nation's commitment to meeting NATO's spending targets in response to the evolving global geopolitical landscape. The incident with the HDMS Niels Juel's Harpoon missile is not an isolated event in Denmark's naval history; a similar incident occurred in 1982 involving an accidental missile launch from a Danish frigate.
The Danish navy encountered a significant safety threat when a Harpoon missile on the HDMS Niels Juel frigate developed a technical problem during testing, leading to a situation where the missile could unintentionally launch. This prompted the Danish authorities to temporarily close parts of its airspace and alert maritime traffic in the vicinity. While managing this crisis, the Defence Minister dismissed the Chief of Defence for unrelated communication failures regarding another naval incident. Amid these challenges, Denmark reaffirms its commitment to enhancing its military capabilities in line with NATO's objectives, mindful of the importance of maintaining high standards of operational safety and transparency.
