Royal Danish Navy Fleet Inventory 🇩🇰
The Royal Danish Navy, known in Danish as Søværnet, is the sea-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces. It is mainly responsible for maritime defense and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish territorial waters, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The navy's other tasks include surveillance, search and rescue, icebreaking, oil spill recovery and prevention, and contributions to international tasks and forces.
Historically, Denmark's maritime traditions date back to the 9th century with the Vikings, who had small but well-organized fleets. By the late 14th century, a unified Danish navy was established under Queen Margaret I, mainly to defend the Kalmar Union against the Hanseatic League. During the 15th century, under King Hans, Danish trade expanded, necessitating a stronger navy. This period saw the establishment of dedicated naval bases and shipyards.
During the period between the two World Wars, the Danish Navy had a low priority for politicians. However, significant events occurred during the German occupation in World War II, including the scuttling of 32 of its larger ships in 1943 to prevent their capture by German forces. Post-World War II, Denmark joined NATO in 1949, receiving substantial material and financial support through the Marshall Plan and acquiring several ships from the British and disarmed Kriegsmarine.
During the Cold War, the Danish navy was modernized with the primary objective of repelling an invasion from the Warsaw Pact. This period saw the creation of special naval forces like the Danish Frogman Corps and the expansion of Danish intelligence capabilities. The navy transitioned to global operations after the Cold War, focusing on fewer but larger vessels capable of operating for extended periods at sea.
Danish Navy ships carry the ship prefix KDM (Kongelige Danske Marine) in Danish, translated to HDMS (Her / His Danish Majesty's Ship) in English. Notably, Denmark is among several NATO member states that do not deploy submarines.
Detailed inventory of Danish Navy
Amphibious ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landing Ship / Search and Rescue | LCP2 | (42 ships) | Active | - |
Frigates
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti Submarine Warfare Frigate | Absalon | (2 ships) | Active | - | |
| Air Defence Frigate | Iver Huitfeldt | (3 ships) | Active | - | |
| Ocean Patrol Frigate | Thetis | (4 ships) | Active | - |
Other ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-purpose Vessel | Holm | (6 ships) | Active | - | |
| Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat | MHV RHIB | (29 ships) | Active | - | |
| Environmental Recovery Vessels | Sea Supply | (2 ships) | Active | - |
Patrol boats
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrol Vessel | Diana | (6 ships) | Active | - | |
| Knud Rasmussen | (3 ships) | Active | - | ||
| Patrol and Rescue Vessel | MHV 800 | (17 ships) | Active | - | |
| MHV 900 | (12 ships) | Active | - |
Support ships
| Type | Class | Ship Name | Hull Number | Status | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diving Support Vessel | Flyvefisken | Active | - |