The above image is for representative purposes only.
Denmark has placed a $610 million order for air surveillance radar systems, awarding the contract directly to U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin on the grounds of safeguarding the nation’s “essential security interests,” according to recently released procurement records.
The Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) finalized the purchase of three TPY-4 fixed air defense radars in December, with provisions included for a potential fourth system.
These radar installations are intended for deployment in key strategic locations, including Skagen at Denmark’s northernmost point, the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm, the Faroe Islands, and potentially eastern Greenland, significantly expanding the country’s airspace monitoring capabilities. Eastern Greenland, in particular, has historically lacked comprehensive surveillance coverage and is among the Arctic’s most remote and sparsely populated regions.
In a notice dated Jan. 20 and published in Tenders Electronic Daily, the EU-linked public procurement portal, DALO stated that awarding the contract without competition was justified to protect Denmark’s critical security interests. The agency emphasized that the radar systems are a fundamental component of the nation’s air surveillance network and are vital to the effective operation of its national air defense.
The procurement comes amid heightened diplomatic friction between Denmark and the United States following remarks by President Donald Trump regarding potential U.S. control of Greenland, an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 21, Trump stated that he had no intention of using military force to pursue the issue.
Several other Nordic countries have also integrated Lockheed Martin’s TPY-4 radar into their defense infrastructure. Sweden placed an order for an undisclosed number of units in June 2025, while Norway expanded its existing fleet in 2024 and now operates a total of 11 systems.
