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Denmark extends mandatory military service to 11 months, includes women for first time
Denmark launches 11-month military conscription for men and women amid Arctic security push
Denmark expanded its mandatory military service on Monday, extending the duration from four to 11 months and including women for the first time in the country’s history. Around 1,600 recruits began the new program, which also increases annual conscription numbers from approximately 5,000 to 7,500 by 2033 .
The first cohort includes Princess Isabella, the 19-year-old second in line to the Danish throne, who reported to the Antvorskov barracks in Slagelse for 11 months of service with the Guard Hussar Regiment . Recruits will undergo five months of basic training followed by six months of operational service, with one of the initial groups set to deploy to Greenland for a month-long security mission later this month .
The expansion follows Denmark’s 2024 announcement of the reforms, which also introduced new training programs, including a drone unit under the Special Operations Command . The conscription system operates as a lottery for all healthy adults turning 18, though it has relied largely on volunteers in recent years, with the lottery used only to fill remaining slots .
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously stated that Denmark is prepared to defend “every inch” of NATO and Danish territory, a position reiterated at the recent NATO summit in Ankara . The reforms come amid heightened Arctic security concerns, with Denmark also signaling increased military activity around the Faroe Islands .
Silas Nor, a 19-year-old recruit from Varde, said he welcomed the extended service period . The changes follow Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has prompted broader European defense adjustments .
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