Danish Navy and Icelandic Coast Guard Conduct Exercises in Arctic Response
As part of the efforts to demonstrate a continuing strong presence in the Arctic region, the Royal Danish Navy conducted exercises with the Icelandic Coast Guard. It is part of an ongoing mutual training and was a prelude to a larger NATO exercise in Greenland to demonstrate regional strength in response to the assertions made by Donald Trump.
Iceland and the Danes emphasize that they regularly work together to support Arctic safety. Danish patrol vessels have been for decades regularly operating in the waters around Iceland, emphasizing the strong collaboration between the Danish Navy and Icelandic Coast Guard.
The Danish vessel conducted several exercises with the Icelandic Coast Guard
Participating in the exercises was the ICGV Freyja, a 2009-built commercial OSV (4,500 GT) for the oil services sector, which Iceland acquired in 2021 to replace an older patrol ship. Iceland notes that with increased maritime traffic in the Arctic, the number of large cargo and oil tankers along the east and north coasts of Iceland has grown, along with the number of cruise ships in its waters. The government acquired Freyja and decided to homeport her in Siglufjörður in northern Iceland to increase its capacity in the region.
The Danish patrol ship Thetis (3,500 tons displacement) came to Iceland for the latest exercise. The ship regularly operates in the Arctic region and, in September, took part in the NATO Arctic Light exercise off Greenland. Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden participated in the 2025 exercises that took place at sea, on land, and in the air.
Several different scenarios were staged during the practice exercise in Iceland, which took place over the weekend of January 10-11. Freyja issued a call for assistance, reporting that it had a leak in its hull. The Danes boarded their rigid small boats and came to the aid of the Icelandic ship practicing emergency responses. In another exercise, the Danish medical team was called out to assist with a simulated accident.
The Danes responded to an emergency call and a request for medical assistance
After this exercise, vessels of the Royal Danish Navy this last weekend were patrolling the coast of Greenland “looking for foreign vessels,” in response to Donald Trump’s assertion that Russian and Chinese ships are operating in the area.
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The patrols came as NATO also launched what is being called a “limited deployment” to Greenland, as part of a broader effort at training and increasing Arctic security in response to claims made by Trump. Troops and commanders from NATO countries, including France, Norway, Great Britain, and Sweden, arrived at Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland. They will stage exercises ranging from guarding installations to assisting the authorities in Greenland, police activities, and supporting troops stationed in Greenland. They will deploy fighter aircraft, and vessels will be patrolling the waters.
Denmark and NATO declared that they are assuming greater responsibility in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Denmark reports it will invest more than $13.7 billion as part of an effort to strengthen security and defense in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. The Danish Armed Forces says the efforts will include periodic exercise activities distributed in and around the Arctic and the North Atlantic.