Armed Home Guard soldiers to deploy across more than 40 Danish towns in major exercise

Thousands of volunteer soldiers from the Danish Home Guard will take part in a major military exercise across Jutland and Funen from 1 to 4 October, with armed soldiers and military vehicles set to become visible in more than 40 towns.

Exercise Blåtand will be the Home Guard’s largest exercise in recent years.

The purpose is to train soldiers so they can be rapidly deployed to support the Danish Armed Forces, police, municipalities and other authorities in the event of a serious crisis.

During the four-day exercise, thousands of volunteer soldiers will train in guarding critical infrastructure, conducting patrols and protecting ground-based air defence systems.

According to the Home Guard, the exercise will take place under realistic conditions, meaning soldiers will train in areas that could be affected in an actual crisis.

“It is important that our soldiers prepare and train under realistic conditions. This means they need to train in the areas where a real crisis could occur. As a result, people in Denmark will encounter the Home Guard in ways they may not have been used to before,” said Major General Gunner Arpe Nielsen, head of the Danish Home Guard.

Largest exercise in recent years

The last Home Guard exercise of a similar size took place in 2016, while an exercise of a comparable nature has not been held since the Cold War.

Hans Andersen, the government-appointed commissioner for the Home Guard, said Exercise Blåtand marks a new era for the organisation.

“Exercise Blåtand sends a clear signal that the Home Guard has entered a new era. The security policy situation places greater demands on the organisation, and that is why it is important that we train before the people of Denmark need us,” Andersen said.

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