Denmark’s air defence frigate requirement draws growing European competition
Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 has been procured by the UK, Indonesia and Poland. (Photo: Babcock)
With no formal competition under way, industrial partnerships, production capacity and air defence capability could all shape the programme as Denmark considers how to replace its three Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates.
Momentum is beginning to build on Denmark’s ongoing air defence frigate requirement. Recent reporting from Defence Express suggests that Denmark is strengthening its relationship with France, leading to Naval Group’s FDI frigate emerging as the favourite to be selected for the programme. Despite this, there are other credible contenders including Babcock’s Arrowhead 140, Navantia’s F110 batch II and potentially German shipbuilder Rheinmetall Naval Systems’ GMF 140.
The requirement was first identified in April 2025 when Denmark released a long-term naval investment plan detailing how it intended to expand the Danish Navy heading into the 2030s. The plan
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