This article needs additional citations for
verification. (June 2013) |
Joint Arctic Command Arktisk Kommando Issittumi Sakkutooqarfik | |
---|---|
Founded | 31 October 2012 |
Countries | Kingdom of Denmark |
Allegiance | Kingdom of Denmark |
Branch | Joined/shared |
Size | ~130 civilian & military |
Part of | Danish Defence |
Headquarters | Nuuk, Greenland |
Nickname(s) | JACMD - Danish: AKO |
Stable belt | |
Website |
Official Website Official Facebook |
The Joint Arctic Command (JACMD [1] - Danish: Arktisk Kommando; Faroese: Arktisk Kommando; Greenlandic: Issittumi Sakkutooqarfik) is a direct Level II[ clarification needed] authority in the Danish Defence. Joint Arctic Command's primary mission in peacetime is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. [2] The command also handles tasks such as fisheries inspection, search and rescue (SAR), patient transport and other tasks that support the civil society. In short, the Joint Arctic Command handles military tasks, coast guard duties and disaster response - all in one organisation. [3]
On 31 October 2012, the Island Command Faroes and Island Command Greenland were merged under the name Joint Arctic Command, which is a joint operational command with serving personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force, Danish Armed Forces as well as civilians. As a result of the Defence Agreement 2010-2014, it was decided to close the two commands and replace them with the joint service Arctic Command. The command acts as the connection point and coordinator of cooperation between the armed forces and local authorities. [4] Both Island Commands Faroes and Greenland were previously also components of the NATO Command Structure (NCS), but there is no confirmation that the new Arctic Command is in the NCS as well.
It is the 1st Squadron that handles tasks pertaining to Arctic Ocean affairs, such as maritime defence and enforcement of sovereignty in Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters. The 1st Squadron is administratively based at Naval Base Frederikshavn.
It has provided units for international tasks, such as the environmental recovery vessel Gunnar Seidenfaden for the cleanup after the Prestige oil spill and the ocean patrol vessel Thetis for the protection force programme of WFP chartered ships at the Horn of Africa. Vessels operated by 1st Squadron.
In 2019, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a four-part documentary about the Joint Arctic Command. The language of the documentary is Danish. The documentary follows a team of Sirius and Station Specialist aspirants and their journey towards Greenland and employment in the Joint Arctic. Moreover, the documentary includes footage from SAR operations - including e.g. the effort in Nuugaatsiaq in 2017. [5]
The Joint Arctic Command is responsible for a wide array of tasks in the Arctic. Some of the tasks are solved in collaboration with the Greenland Self-Government and the Faroese National Government, as well as the Greenland Police and the Faroe Islands Police.
The 1st Squadron of the Royal Danish Navy is primarily focused on national operations in and around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. As of 2023, the 1st Squadron is composed of:
After 2025 the Thetis-class vessels are to be replaced by the planned MPV80-class vessels. The new vessels will incorporate a modular concept enabling packages of different systems (for minehunting or minelaying for example) to be fitted to individual ships as may be required. [19] [20]
To support search and rescue as well as surveillance, Greenland's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) is able to call on C-130J and Challenger 604 aircraft of the Royal Danish Air Force if available. The C-130J is specifically tasked with the re-supply of Danish forces in Greenland. The Challenger 604 is also tasked with assisting in surveillance missions in the Arctic area and since 2021 one aircraft has been permanently stationed in Kangerlussuaq. [21] [22]
No. | Photo | Name (born–died) |
Branch | Term of office | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
1 | Major general Stig Østergaard Nielsen (born 1954) |
31 October 2012 | 31 October 2015 | 3 years, 0 days | [23] | ||
– | Captain Christian Nørgaard (born 1957) Acting |
1 November 2015 | 15 February 2016 | 106 days | |||
2 | Major general Kim Jesper Jørgensen (born 1962) |
15 February 2016 | 14 December 2020 | 4 years, 303 days | [24] [25] | ||
– | Captain Dan B. Termansen (born 1967) Acting |
14 December 2020 | 1 June 2021 | 169 days | [26] | ||
3 | Counter admiral Martin La Cour-Andersen (born 1963) |
1 June 2021 | Incumbent | 2 years, 333 days | [27] | ||
– | Brigade general Poul Primdahl (born ?) Acting |
1 May 2023 | Incumbent | 364 days | [28] |
In the past decade, there has been an increased awareness of the effects of climate change on the Arctic region. Due to climate change and the melting of land and sea ice, the Arctic region is becoming increasingly accessible. This has brought with it an increased awareness of the opportunity for extraction of natural resources as well as greater commercial and scientific activity in the Arctic. [10] Such development means that the Arctic is becoming increasingly geographically significant in these years. As much is evident in both the news and in academia. [29] [30] [31] [32]
Climate change is leading to increasing economic and research activity and at the same time has a significant security and defence policy impact. As a result, many actors have in recent years increased their focus on the Arctic. The current situation challenges the government's desire to maintain the Arctic as a stable and secure area without conflict. [30]
Therefore, it is the role of the Arctic Command to enforce Danish sovereignty and ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
Maritime Security Operations is an essential part of the Navy's tasks in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, where Denmark, by virtue of the unity of the realm, is co-responsible for maintaining security and stability.
Andreas Østhagen [33] has argued that the maritime activity levels are forcing Arctic coastal states to provide increasing presence and more capabilities. This mirrors the call for continued prioritisation of enhanced maritime security [10] that also exists. In February 2021 it was announced that a new agreement was reached that would strengthen the Armed Forces' capabilities in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. The conciliation group (forligskredsen) decided to grant DKK 1.5 billion from the defence settlement for 2018-2023 provide better opportunities to survey Denmark's territories in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. [34]
It is largely the expectation of increased activity in the Arctic in the form of transport, tourism, fishing and offshore activities that emphasises the importance of, and need for, maritime security in the form of the Danish navy in the Arctic. The Joint Arctic Command is therefore a significant and necessary tool to have for the Unity of the realm in order to enforce the foreign and domestic policy that the Danish government wishes to.
This article needs additional citations for
verification. (June 2013) |
Joint Arctic Command Arktisk Kommando Issittumi Sakkutooqarfik | |
---|---|
Founded | 31 October 2012 |
Countries | Kingdom of Denmark |
Allegiance | Kingdom of Denmark |
Branch | Joined/shared |
Size | ~130 civilian & military |
Part of | Danish Defence |
Headquarters | Nuuk, Greenland |
Nickname(s) | JACMD - Danish: AKO |
Stable belt | |
Website |
Official Website Official Facebook |
The Joint Arctic Command (JACMD [1] - Danish: Arktisk Kommando; Faroese: Arktisk Kommando; Greenlandic: Issittumi Sakkutooqarfik) is a direct Level II[ clarification needed] authority in the Danish Defence. Joint Arctic Command's primary mission in peacetime is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. [2] The command also handles tasks such as fisheries inspection, search and rescue (SAR), patient transport and other tasks that support the civil society. In short, the Joint Arctic Command handles military tasks, coast guard duties and disaster response - all in one organisation. [3]
On 31 October 2012, the Island Command Faroes and Island Command Greenland were merged under the name Joint Arctic Command, which is a joint operational command with serving personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force, Danish Armed Forces as well as civilians. As a result of the Defence Agreement 2010-2014, it was decided to close the two commands and replace them with the joint service Arctic Command. The command acts as the connection point and coordinator of cooperation between the armed forces and local authorities. [4] Both Island Commands Faroes and Greenland were previously also components of the NATO Command Structure (NCS), but there is no confirmation that the new Arctic Command is in the NCS as well.
It is the 1st Squadron that handles tasks pertaining to Arctic Ocean affairs, such as maritime defence and enforcement of sovereignty in Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters. The 1st Squadron is administratively based at Naval Base Frederikshavn.
It has provided units for international tasks, such as the environmental recovery vessel Gunnar Seidenfaden for the cleanup after the Prestige oil spill and the ocean patrol vessel Thetis for the protection force programme of WFP chartered ships at the Horn of Africa. Vessels operated by 1st Squadron.
In 2019, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation broadcast a four-part documentary about the Joint Arctic Command. The language of the documentary is Danish. The documentary follows a team of Sirius and Station Specialist aspirants and their journey towards Greenland and employment in the Joint Arctic. Moreover, the documentary includes footage from SAR operations - including e.g. the effort in Nuugaatsiaq in 2017. [5]
The Joint Arctic Command is responsible for a wide array of tasks in the Arctic. Some of the tasks are solved in collaboration with the Greenland Self-Government and the Faroese National Government, as well as the Greenland Police and the Faroe Islands Police.
The 1st Squadron of the Royal Danish Navy is primarily focused on national operations in and around the Faroe Islands and Greenland. As of 2023, the 1st Squadron is composed of:
After 2025 the Thetis-class vessels are to be replaced by the planned MPV80-class vessels. The new vessels will incorporate a modular concept enabling packages of different systems (for minehunting or minelaying for example) to be fitted to individual ships as may be required. [19] [20]
To support search and rescue as well as surveillance, Greenland's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) is able to call on C-130J and Challenger 604 aircraft of the Royal Danish Air Force if available. The C-130J is specifically tasked with the re-supply of Danish forces in Greenland. The Challenger 604 is also tasked with assisting in surveillance missions in the Arctic area and since 2021 one aircraft has been permanently stationed in Kangerlussuaq. [21] [22]
No. | Photo | Name (born–died) |
Branch | Term of office | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
1 | Major general Stig Østergaard Nielsen (born 1954) |
31 October 2012 | 31 October 2015 | 3 years, 0 days | [23] | ||
– | Captain Christian Nørgaard (born 1957) Acting |
1 November 2015 | 15 February 2016 | 106 days | |||
2 | Major general Kim Jesper Jørgensen (born 1962) |
15 February 2016 | 14 December 2020 | 4 years, 303 days | [24] [25] | ||
– | Captain Dan B. Termansen (born 1967) Acting |
14 December 2020 | 1 June 2021 | 169 days | [26] | ||
3 | Counter admiral Martin La Cour-Andersen (born 1963) |
1 June 2021 | Incumbent | 2 years, 333 days | [27] | ||
– | Brigade general Poul Primdahl (born ?) Acting |
1 May 2023 | Incumbent | 364 days | [28] |
In the past decade, there has been an increased awareness of the effects of climate change on the Arctic region. Due to climate change and the melting of land and sea ice, the Arctic region is becoming increasingly accessible. This has brought with it an increased awareness of the opportunity for extraction of natural resources as well as greater commercial and scientific activity in the Arctic. [10] Such development means that the Arctic is becoming increasingly geographically significant in these years. As much is evident in both the news and in academia. [29] [30] [31] [32]
Climate change is leading to increasing economic and research activity and at the same time has a significant security and defence policy impact. As a result, many actors have in recent years increased their focus on the Arctic. The current situation challenges the government's desire to maintain the Arctic as a stable and secure area without conflict. [30]
Therefore, it is the role of the Arctic Command to enforce Danish sovereignty and ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
Maritime Security Operations is an essential part of the Navy's tasks in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, where Denmark, by virtue of the unity of the realm, is co-responsible for maintaining security and stability.
Andreas Østhagen [33] has argued that the maritime activity levels are forcing Arctic coastal states to provide increasing presence and more capabilities. This mirrors the call for continued prioritisation of enhanced maritime security [10] that also exists. In February 2021 it was announced that a new agreement was reached that would strengthen the Armed Forces' capabilities in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. The conciliation group (forligskredsen) decided to grant DKK 1.5 billion from the defence settlement for 2018-2023 provide better opportunities to survey Denmark's territories in the North Atlantic and the Arctic. [34]
It is largely the expectation of increased activity in the Arctic in the form of transport, tourism, fishing and offshore activities that emphasises the importance of, and need for, maritime security in the form of the Danish navy in the Arctic. The Joint Arctic Command is therefore a significant and necessary tool to have for the Unity of the realm in order to enforce the foreign and domestic policy that the Danish government wishes to.