In the latest defense agreement, the wording about “NATO interoperability” has raised concerns among several parties, as it may make it difficult to acquire an Israeli air defense system. SF’s (Socialistisk Folkeparti) leader Pia Olsen Dyhr and De Radikales (The Radical Left) defense spokesperson Christian Friis Bach have both stated that this wording practically excludes the purchase of the Israeli system, which according to them is not used by Denmark’s neighboring countries. Despite these concerns, Major Karsten Marrup from the Center for Air and Space Operations at the Defense Academy denies that the Israeli system is less compatible with NATO standards than other systems. He emphasizes that interoperability is crucial, but the Israeli system meets these requirements. Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Inger Støjberg from Danmarkdemokraternes (The Danish Democrats) also support this view by pointing out that no systems or countries are excluded in advance in the new defense agreement.
The debate on the choice of air defense system is particularly relevant, as Denmark has had limited air defense capabilities since 2004, primarily maintained through fighter jets and frigates. With a budget of between 19 and 25 billion kroner for a new ground-based defense, other systems such as the American Patriot system or a combination of this and the Norwegian Nasams system may now be considered. This development comes after a period where SF has been critical of purchasing weapon systems from Israel due to the country’s policy towards Palestinians. With the new economic framework in the defense agreement, it seems that there may be opportunities to consider alternatives, which could change the dynamics of Denmark’s future defense structure.