In February, Denmark dispatched a frigate to the Red Sea in anticipation of participating in the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian.frigate ivor whitfeld, commissioned in 2011 as one of three Danish air defense frigates, left her base for the Mediterranean Sea today, January 29th. This comes ahead of a final vote to confirm the mandate by Denmark’s parliament, scheduled for next week.
“As a maritime nation, Denmark has a responsibility to strengthen maritime security,” Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said at the farewell ceremony. “This is why the Danish Armed Forces is contributing to frigates.” ivor whitfeld to Operation Guardian of Prosperity in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. ”
The command said the ship would be tasked with self-defense and extended self-defense missions, allowing the frigate and its crew to use force to protect themselves and nearby ships from attack. They expect the ship to join Joint Task Force 153 in early February and that she will remain in the region until at least mid-April 2024.
The frigate Iver Hoytfeld set sail from Korsay, Denmark, to strengthen maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. (Photo: Rune Dyrholm courtesy of the Danish Ministry of Defense)
Danish authorities had recently called on the country’s navy to take part in the operation, citing an increased risk to commercial shipping. While most Maersk and Danish-flagged vessels have been diverted from the area, Denmark should demonstrate its will and ability to protect the right to free navigation, they said.
The authorization bill received its first reading in the Danish parliament on January 24th. The agreement received widespread support and was finally adopted on February 6, after which the ship will formally participate in security operations. The frigate and nationally contributed crew will total up to about 175 people, defense officials said. This ship is equipped with a Seahawk helicopter. In addition to this ship, Denmark is also sending staff to the U.S.-led strike coalition.
The departure ceremony emphasized that Denmark has contributed several times to various initiatives in the region. From 2008 to 2017, Denmark contributed to the Allied Maritime Forces’ anti-piracy operations as part of a task force and in Operation Ocean Shield. A Danish frigate has been deployed off the coast of Somalia to protect against pirates, and Denmark recently sent a frigate to the Gulf of Guinea as part of efforts to strengthen the security of commercial shipping. In November 2021, a Danish frigate supporting a merchant ship being attacked by pirates killed four pirates in a gunfight. One of the surviving pirates was taken to Denmark for treatment and then tried in Denmark, but they also released three other suspects who did not want to be taken to Denmark for trial.
Danish officials said the participation would bring up to 20 countries to Operation Prosperity Guardian. This is part of a broader task force involving 39 countries, including Denmark.