Denmark Launches Largest Volunteer Guard Exercises Since Cold War

On October 1, the large-scale military exercise Blåtand began in Denmark, involving more than 6,500 soldiers from the Danish Home Guard (Hjemmeværnet).

This was reported by the Danish Ministry of Defence.

Organizers describe them as the largest exercises for this unit since the Cold War.

In addition to the land component, representatives of the Naval Volunteer Guard (Marinehjemmeværnet) and the Air Force Home Guard (Flyverhjemmeværnet) are also participating in the exercises, which has roughly doubled the total number of participants.

The exercises will take place from October 1 to 4 in Jutland and on the island of Funen. In certain areas, participants are conducting training exercises in close proximity to critical civilian infrastructure.

In total, activities are planned at more than 70 locations in one of Denmark’s regions. According to the commander of the Danish Home Guard, Major General Hannar Arpe Nielsen, the military must make training as close to real-world conditions as possible and operate directly in those areas where problems could arise in the event of a crisis.

In addition, according to Esben Salling Larsen, a military analyst at the Royal Danish Military Academy, the tasks of the Danish Home Guard today differ significantly from those the unit carried out 20 years ago.

He cites the Guard’s ability to rapidly deploy a significant number of forces to strengthen the country’s defense as one of its key advantages.

The Danish Home Guard performs a wide range of tasks in support of the Armed Forces, the police, and other government agencies. The main functions of the land units include guarding military facilities, patrolling, surveillance, and protecting critical infrastructure.

The Naval Home Guard monitors shipping in Denmark’s territorial waters, reports suspicious activity to the Navy, guards ports and other critical facilities, and participates in search-and-rescue operations and the escort of foreign military vessels. The Air Force Home Guard is responsible for guarding air bases, aircraft, helicopters, and radars; controlling access to military airfields; and assisting the Danish Air Force during training exercises and in crisis situations.

Some of its units also carry out aerial surveillance and search missions. In addition to military tasks, volunteers assist the police in searching for missing persons, secure crime scenes, control traffic, and help government agencies during floods, storms, snowstorms, and other emergencies.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that in August 2026, 1,600 Danes were drafted into military service as part of a new 11-month program.