In recent months, Denmark has undertaken a series of major defence purchases aimed at strengthening its ability to protect national territory and contribute to NATO operations amid rising regional tensions. Central to these efforts is the acquisition of advanced missile systems from the United States, including AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, approved in January 2026 in a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) valued at an estimated $45 million. The deal includes up to 100 Hellfire missiles, launchers, handling equipment, and related logistical support, which Denmark intends to integrate with platforms such as helicopters and unmanned systems to enhance precision-strike capabilities and interoperability with allied forces.

The Hellfire sale comes as part of a broader pattern of US-approved exports to Denmark that also includes air-to-air missiles like the AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM and integrated defence systems, designed to strengthen Denmark’s air and maritime defensive posture in the Arctic and Baltic regions, areas viewed as increasingly strategic in the face of Russian military activity and hybrid threats.

However, this military cooperation carries an ironic twist. The United States, under the administration of President Donald Trump, has made provocative statements about Greenland — an autonomous Danish territory of significant strategic value — including repeated suggestions that the US might seek to control it for national security reasons. Amid those tensions, Washington continues to approve weapons sales to Copenhagen, essentially arming a NATO ally at the same time as senior US officials publicly pressure Denmark over Greenland’s future.

While Danish defence officials frame these acquisitions as necessary steps to modernise the military and deter threats, analysts note the paradox of boosting an ally’s capabilities even while geopolitical rhetoric strains bilateral relations. The Hellfire sale, while modest in scale compared with larger systems like Patriot interceptors, underscores the complexity of alliance politics: Denmark seeks to ensure its own security and contribute to joint missions, yet its reliance on US-made weaponry comes in a context where political tensions — particularly over Arctic sovereignty — persist.