“We are facing a bill of up to 27 billion kroner”: A third of the Danish army’s buildings are dilapidated
Given the evolving security challenges facing Denmark, the readiness of the Danish Armed Forces has become a top priority on the political agenda. With escalating regional and international risks, investment in military infrastructure appears to be an urgent necessity.
A recent report by the Danish Ministry of Defence revealed that about a third of the Danish army's buildings, including barracks, are in a state of severe structural deterioration, including the spread of mold, rotting of window frames, and water leaks from roofs, which calls for huge investments to address this situation.
According to the statement issued by the ministry, these buildings are “in a below-average or poor condition,” as a result of “a significant backlog of construction, maintenance and operational work,” as stated in a joint analysis presented by Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Chief of the Armed Forces Michael Heijlgaard, during a press conference held at the ministry headquarters.
A structural crisis requiring radical solutions that will cost billions
In March 2024, the Danish parliament allocated an urgent sum of 2 billion Danish kroner (about 290 million US dollars) to address the dilapidated state of the barracks. However, the new analysis showed that this amount is far from sufficient, as estimates indicate that the cost required to rehabilitate the army's infrastructure ranges between 6.6 and 13.5 billion kroner. If Denmark wants to raise the quality of all buildings to "above average" level, it will need approximately 26.9 billion kroner, according to the statement.
Total costs could reach 50 billion Danish kroner.
In addition to infrastructure, the minister pointed out that the deterioration of the army's IT systems will cost the public budget huge sums, as the total cost – when combining the costs of infrastructure and IT rehabilitation requirements – is expected to reach about 50 billion Danish kroner.
Official statements: “We are facing a huge challenge.”
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen emphasized that the current situation "requires a massive undertaking," adding, "Despite the emergency funding package and previous additions, significant challenges remain." He continued, "We must step up our efforts in property management, as well as in information technology, which is also severely lacking.".
Despite the magnitude of the challenges, the minister has not yet clarified which buildings or barracks will be given priority in maintenance and rehabilitation operations, indicating that the matter will depend on the level of ambition that the government sets in its upcoming plan.
