Denmark heads naval force at missile live-fire exercise

By the Defense Command

Exercise Mjølner will train NATO warships in the use of missiles and naval guns in maritime operations.

Together with navy vessels from Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Germany, the Danish frigates Niels Juel and Absalon will train how to obtain situational awareness at sea and in coastal areas, how to respond to surface and air threats, and how to coordinate courses of action when faced with enemy vessels, aircraft, and missiles. The exercise takes place off Norway, north of the Arctic Circle.

In order to create a realistic environment for the crews and weapons systems, small high-speed target drones are deployed. These airborne targets must be detected and acquired by the frigates' crews, sensors, and radars, and subsequently engaged and defeated by missiles and naval guns. The aim of the exercise is to make sure that all this happens in coordination with the other vessels and aircraft. At the same time, it is checked that all parts of the on-board technical systems, the missiles themselves, and the additional weapons systems function as intended.

"It is very useful to carry out the exercise together with our allied partners. It gives us the opportunity to train cooperation between the crews and the countries. This capability has really great utility, for example in a multinational mission," says Deputy Commander of the Danish Navy, Commodore Captain Carsten Fjord-Larsen.

Norway has a large maritime firing range, with ample space for this type of live-fire exercises, so the training and the fire procedures can be executed safely and in a realistic way.

 “We are carrying out this exercise because Denmark must maintain its ability to contribute with frigates with the capability to conduct missile defense in multinational missions. It is a central part of the modern range of naval capabilities. Naturally, we use this opportunity to train that,” says Commodore Captain Carsten Fjord-Larsen.

The Niels Juel at the quay in the north-Norway town of Tromsø. Despite unstable weather with snow and clouds, the characteristic Arctic Cathedral can be seen in the background. Photo: The Armed Forces.

During the exercise, both SeaSparrow and Harpoon missiles as well as long-range and short-range naval guns will be employed.

"I am very pleased with the conduct of the exercise. This is a unique opportunity for the Danish Navy's vessels to fire live rounds from long-range weapons, coordinated with the other nations and at the same time a very important part of a frigate crew's training. It is a complicated scenario with multiple  simultaneous threats in two dimensions, involving target data from third parties. Therefore, it obviously has to be drilled, in the same way that we must verify that the systems work as intended. Denmark is in command of the naval exercise force, and the Absalon has an embedded multinational staff on board. This gives Denmark the opportunity to train applied naval leadership in the context of eight vessels from five different nations, totalling approx 1,000 personnel," says exercise Chief of Staff, Commodore Captain Dan B. Termansen. "It takes us to the required level of readiness."