BELFAST — Denmark’s defense minister said the military is open to a deal to purchase a fleet of Boeing-made P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, according to a local news report.
Troels Lund Poulsen said on Tuesday that the government could invest “tens of billions of [Danish] kroner” in an acquisition for the US fixed wing platform, according to an online translation of a report by local broadcaster TV2.
The potential purchase comes as Copenhagen steps up efforts to strengthen Arctic subsurface and oversea surveillance capabilities amid Russian threats, and Poulsen reportedly cited the need for better situational awareness around the Danish territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
The defense minister did not disclose an exact number of aircraft planned for order but stated Copenhagen’s preference is for a deal that involves cooperation with NATO countries. If that is not feasible, he indicated that Denmark will push forward with a deal on its own. Beyond the US Navy, P-8 alliance customers include Canada, Germany, Norway and the UK.
A next step in the P-8 pre-procurement process will see the Danish defense committee receive a proposal within two weeks, reported TV2.
The Danish Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.
“Denmark continues its decision-making process,” said a Boeing spokesperson in a statement. “As announced last month, Terma and Boeing have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore cooperation on Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul support if Danish Defence selects the P-8 for its maritime patrol aircraft requirement.”
The US manufacturer has been lobbying for a Poseidon sale to Copenhagen for some time, telling Breaking Defense last year that the aircraft fits as a “potential solution” to replace four Danish CL-604 Challengers, used for surveillance, search and rescue and VIP transport missions.
“The current security situation requires that we significantly strengthen the Danish Armed Forces’ presence in the Arctic and the North Atlantic,” Poulsen said on Monday as he travelled to Nuuk, Greenland, to oversee the Arctic Light training exercise — featuring Denmark, France, Germany, Norway and Sweden, according to a Danish Ministry of Defense statement.
The P-8 can carry out a series of missions ranging from anti-submarine warfare to anti-surface warfare or intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Equipped with an in-flight refuelling system, Boeing company literature notes that the “P-8’s endurance and range allow it to conduct extended patrols over vast expanses of water, benefitting both military and humanitarian” missions.
The potential for a US-made plane to aid in surveillance around Greenland is particularly notable, as political relations between the US and Denmark have yet to recover from US President Donald Trump’s assertions that the US could buy Greenland or take it by force.
Earlier this week Denmark opted against buying US-made Patriot air defenses, instead opting for the French-Italian SAMP/T, though officials said that was due to longer delivery times for the Patriots. And still Copenhagen has signalled interest in acquiring additional Lockheed Martin F-35A fifth generation fighter jets.
Updated 9/17/2025 at 4:07 pm ET with comment from Boeing.