What units have Denmark and Norway sent to Afghanistan and Iraq

[TravelingHomeless]

Im interested in knowing which of the units of the countries Denmark and Norway have served in the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. I believe each contribution was battalion sized with the exception of Norway in Iraq, when they only sent an engineering company. What were the units and were their SOF provided as well? What were their mission requirements and AOR. I know the Telemark Battalion from Norway has been sent on several occasions to Afghanistan. In fact they have seen combat recently i.e. Operation Karez. Any more information that you can contribute?

Also, what was the public/political support for the missions?

[The Dane]

Do you mean what type of units or specific units(Regiments, battalions, companies etc) ?

[TravelingHomeless]

Do you mean what type of units or specific units(Regiments, battalions, companies etc) ?

Ja, specific if can be listed.

[The Dane]

That's alot of units because the battalions rotate every 6 months :)

But i can tell you that every Danish battalion in Iraq or Afghanistan have been lead by either Jyske Dragon Regiment(JDR), the Gardehusar Regiment(GHR) and the Royal Lifeguards Regiment(LG). This are the only combat regiments we have left :|

Combat unit available for missions:
JDR have two battalions, 1 tank battalion(1.brigade) and 1 MechInf battalion(2. brigade).

GHR have 1 combined arms battalion(1.Bde), 1 MechInf battalion(2.Bde) and 1 Recce Battalion(1. Bde).

LG have 1 combined arms Battalion(1.Bde) and 1 MechInf battalion(2. Bde)

Our Dancon's (Danish Contribution) are then supported by different support regiment that supply the mission with specialists like signaltroops, engineers, artillerist etc...

Our support regiment are Telegraf Regimentet(signal, EW etc.).
The Engineer Regiment.
The Traen Regiment(supply, transport).

The we have a center called DANILOG(Danish InternationalLogisticcenter) that are in charge of the logistics from Denmark to the AOR.
http://i513.photobucket.com/albums/t340/heinedenmark/557px-Danish_Army.png
The battalions that are called 4th battalions are conscripts which are not send on missions.
Only those called 1st and 2nd are for IntOps.

1. brigade is a fully professional while 2. brigade is a traning/reserve brigade(25% fulltime soldiers).
1. brigade have approx. 4000 men for IntOps, 2. Brigade approx. 2000 men(plus 2500 conscripts pr. year).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Danish_Army
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Denmark

[The Dane]

The first Danish unit in Iraq and Afghanistan were 1. LOPKESK(light recce squadron) from GHR. Which units have followed them i'm not sure about.

But in Iraq the most of the time, we had a battalion staff, a HQ-Coy, a recce squadron, a MechInfCoy and a British InfCoy.

Now in Helmand the Battalion have a battalion staff, a HQ-Coy(with alot of specialist plus recce), 2 Danish InfCoy's and 2 British InfCoy's.

Danish AOR in Helmand.
The hotspot in the area is Geresk city and the area north of Geresk city(the Green zone), Upper Geresk valley.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=31.790399,64.532845&z=10&t=h&hl=da

[TravelingHomeless]

That's alot of units because the battalions rotate every 6 months :)

But i can tell you that every Danish battalion in Iraq or Afghanistan have been lead by either Jyske Dragon Regiment(JDR), the Gardehusar Regiment(GHR) and the Royal Lifeguards Regiment(LG). This are the only combat regiments we have left :|

Combat unit available for missions:
JDR have two battalions, 1 tank battalion(1.brigade) and 1 MechInf battalion(2. brigade).

GHR have 1 combined arms battalion(1.Bde), 1 MechInf battalion(2.Bde) and 1 Recce Battalion(1. Bde).

LG have 1 combined arms Battalion(1.Bde) and 1 MechInf battalion(2. Bde)

Our Dancon's (Danish Contribution) are then supported by different support regiment that supply the mission with specialists like signaltroops, engineers, artillerist etc...

Our support regiment are Telegraf Regimentet(signal, EW etc.).
The Engineer Regiment.
The Traen Regiment(supply, transport).

The we have a center called DANILOG(Danish InternationalLogisticcenter) that are in charge of the logistics from Denmark to the AOR.
http://i513.photobucket.com/albums/t340/heinedenmark/557px-Danish_Army.png
The battalions that are called 4th battalions are conscripts which are not send on missions.
Only those called 1st and 2nd are for IntOps.

1. brigade is a fully professional while 2. brigade is a traning/reserve brigade(25% fulltime soldiers).
1. brigade have approx. 4000 men for IntOps, 2. Brigade approx. 2000 men(plus 2500 conscripts pr. year).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Danish_Army
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Denmark

Thanks for the info man. Any idea as to the number of Danes in international operations as of now? You rotate in/out Afghanistan in Feb and August i believe as well. I wonder if it is possible in the considerable future for your contribution to ISAF to increase to a 3rdMechInfCoy or to send a few F-16's.

[TravelingHomeless]

From wikipedia i have read that 2nd and Telemark battalions of Norway have seen continued rotations in Afghanistan. They have 2 InfCoy i believe at the moment.

[TravelingHomeless]

The first Danish unit in Iraq and Afghanistan were 1. LOPKESK(light recce squadron) from GHR. Which units have followed them i'm not sure about.

But in Iraq the most of the time, we had a battalion staff, a HQ-Coy, a recce squadron, a MechInfCoy and a British InfCoy.

Now in Helmand the Battalion have a battalion staff, a HQ-Coy(with alot of specialist plus recce), 2 Danish InfCoy's and 2 British InfCoy's.

Danish AOR in Helmand.
The hotspot in the area is Geresk city and the area north of Geresk city(the Green zone), Upper Geresk valley.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=31.790399,64.532845&z=10&t=h&hl=da

Afghanistan is the premium of your international obligation eh? I'm very impressed with your size of combat battalions yet you're able to constantly deploy battalions abroad to serve and engage in combat. Very intriguing and admirable.

Is there a site in english that documents the battles or operations that you Danes have been in since your deployment to Helmand? I know wikipedia lists a general overview of the mission in Iraq.

[Salonen]

Its a shame that there is not a site somewhere out there where you can see the Danish OOB in Iraq and Afghanistan. The following is from looking through hok.dk and is far from perfect, but it goes something like this for the main combat units in Afghanistan.

Team 1 May 2006 - October 2006
1st light recon sqd, Recon Bat, Gardehusarregimentet

Team 2 October 2006 - February 2007
2nd light recon sqd, Recon Bat, Gardehusarregimentet

Team3 February 2007 - August 2007
Scout sqd, Jyske Dragonregiment

Team 4 August 2007 - February 2008
5th scout sqd, 2 Bat, Gardehusarregimentet
1st coy, 1st Bat, Kongelige Livgarde

Team 5 February 2008 - August 2008
4th mech inf coy, 1st Bat, Gardehusarregimentet
5th coy, 2nd Bat, Kongelige Livgarde

Team 6 August 2008 - February 2009
4th Arm Inf coy, 1st Arm Bat, Jyske Dragonregiment
6th coy, 2nd Bat, Kongelige Livgarde

[TravelingHomeless]

Thanks for the info. I found this also on that site. More about the mission than specific units. http://forsvaret.dk/HOK/International+Info/ISAF/

http://forsvaret.dk/NR/rdonlyres/271F47A1-B26F-4525-A692-DDDA1A6CAA00/58736/DK_ENHplacering_MARTS_08_b.jpg
Danske enheders placering august 2008 UKL (http://forsvaret.dk/NR/rdonlyres/271F47A1-B26F-4525-A692-DDDA1A6CAA00/64537/DK_ENH_placering_AUGUST_2008_UKL.pdf) (pdf)

Danske styrker i Afghanistan august 2008
DANCON/RC(S)ca. 550
Helikopter DET40
Kandahar Air Fieldca. 50 (+54. -FLV 46, FSU, 4, UNAMA 4)
Kabul12
PRT/FeyzabadDette bidrag blev trukket hjem i august 2008
PRT/Chaghcharan10
I alt ca. 625 + 54 = Ca. 675


Though i believe there are nearly 800 troops in Afghanistan or is that just the maximum number set to be deployed there?

[TravelingHomeless]

info from the HOK.dk site but no idea what it says since I dont pratar danska. Any help?

Helmand
Den 2. februar 2006 besluttede Folketinget at udvide det danske bidrag til ISAF ved at øge det samlede danske bidrag i Afghanistan og indsætte op imod 290 soldater i de sydlige provinser med udgangspunkt i Helmand-provinsen, hvor de kom under kommando af den britisk ledede Task Force Helmand (TF Helmand).
Siden det første hold danske soldater blev indsat i foråret/sommeren 2006, er der sket en gradvis opbygning af styrken. På de to første hold var kampenheden en let opklaringseskadron, på Hold 3 var det en spejdereskadron, og fra Hold 4 var det et mekaniseret infanterikompagni og senere tillige en spejdereskadron.
På hold 5 blev spejdereskadronen erstattet af et mekaniseret infanterikompagni.
Folketinget meddelte ved Beslutning 161 af 1. juni 2007 samtykke til, at det danske engagement udvides til kampgruppe størrelse. Dette skete i to tempi. I august med en forøgelse til ca. 400 mand og fra oktober 2007 til ca. 550 soldater.
Den 23. oktober 2007 blev der givet tilladelse til, at den danske styrke blev forstærket med en kampvognsdeling med kampvogn Leopard 2 A5. Kampvognsdelingen var klar til indsættelse i Helmand fra 17. november 2007.
Det danske styrkebidrag i de sydlige provinser er grundlæggende bygget op om den danske bataljon (også kaldet Danish Battle Group), der danner Stabilisation & Security Group 3 (SSG 3) der indgår under den britisk ledede Task Force Helmand sammen med fire andre SSG'er. Task Force Helmand har soldater fra United Kingdom, Canada, Holland, Danmark, Estland, Tjekkiet og Jordan.
I den dansk ledede Battle Group Center indgår en række britiske enheder, så den samlede kampgruppe er oppe på omkring 800 soldater.
I den danske bataljon, RC(S) Hold 6 indgår (august 2008):

En chef (oberst) og en stab
Et stabs- og logistikkompagni, der indeholder enheder til forsyning, vedligeholdelse og reparationer samt sanitetspersonel, der både varetager ambulance- og redningstjeneste samt den almindelige lægetjeneste.
Et ildstøtteelement, der blandt andet indeholder

En artilleripejleradarenhed, der blandt andet indsættes til sikring af lejrene, idet den kan lokalisere, hvorfra fjendtlige tunge våben skyder.
Observatører der er i stand til at kommunikere med og dirigere ildstøtten fra kampfly og artilleri.

En ingeniørenhed der bl.a. vil kunne støtte lejrområderne og foretage minerydning.
En elektronisk opklaringsenhed.
En telegrafenhed der skal sikre kommunikation mellem enhederne og hjem til Danmark.
Et mekaniseret infanterikompagni, der kører i PMV M113 G3.
Et mekaniseret infanterikompagni, der kører Piranha
Et kampvognsdetachement med en kampvognsdeling på tre Leopard 2 A5.
En militærpolitienhed der skal støtte øvrige danske enheder og opretholde (selv-) jus**** i lejren.
En Civil-militær samarbejdsenhed til identifikation og koordination af udvalgte genopbygningsprojekter.
En række enkeltpersoner der hver især er specialister indenfor deres felt og skal støtte arbejdet i stabene og enhedernes indsættelse.
Her bor soldaterne:

Hovedlejren for danskerne er placeret centralt i HELMAND provinsen, lidt nordvest for LASHKAR GAH by i en stor militærlejr (Camp Bastion). Den danske del af lejren benævnes Danelagen Lines, og under den er en mindre del, der hedder Camp Viking.
De indsatte soldater er i en fremskudt lejr tæt på Geresk (FOB Price) og i øvrigt ude på en række forposter.
Det Nationale Støtte Element, NSE, (en logistisk støtteenhed) er placeret på Kandahar Air Field.
CIMIC-enheden, der identificerer mulige genopbygningsopgaver og varetager koordinationen mellem civile og militære myndigheder, samt et antal stabsofficerer er placeret i LASHKAR GAH by, men enheden opererer i hele operationsområdet.

[Salonen]

Brand new Danish book about Team 4 in Afghanistan. The first Danish book about Danish troops in Afghanistan, I think.


http://www.kimhundevadt.dk/imorgen_forside.gif

[TravelingHomeless]

Brand new Danish book about Team 4 in Afghanistan. The first Danish book about Danish troops in Afghanistan, I think.



http://www.kimhundevadt.dk/imorgen_forside.gif


Interesting. Can you summarize it? Is it an overview or does it play to the left/right? And is it available in english?

[Salonen]

And here is another book about danish troops in Afganistan, this time about Team 1.


http://www.dr.dk/NR/rdonlyres/B26F9E12-1F2A-4EFD-AC0F-15706300F45F/964855/defea0ad1de44dea84819b3fdb352434_dedansketigre.jpg

[jasonblaster]

Its a shame that there is not a site somewhere out there where you can see the Danish OOB in Iraq and Afghanistan. The following is from looking through hok.dk and is far from perfect, but it goes something like this for the main combat units in Afghanistan.

Team 1 May 2006 - October 2006
1st light recon sqd, Recon Bat, Gardehusarregimentet

Team 2 October 2006 - February 2007
2nd light recon sqd, Recon Bat, Gardehusarregimentet

Team3 February 2007 - August 2007
Scout sqd, Jyske Dragonregiment

Team 4 August 2007 - February 2008
5th scout sqd, 2 Bat, Gardehusarregimentet
1st coy, 1st Bat, Kongelige Livgarde

Team 5 February 2008 - August 2008
4th mech inf coy, 1st Bat, Gardehusarregimentet
5th coy, 2nd Bat, Kongelige Livgarde

Team 6 August 2008 - February 2009
4th Arm Inf coy, 1st Arm Bat, Jyske Dragonregiment
6th coy, 2nd Bat, Kongelige Livgarde

On Understandingwar.com they keep an updated OOB for Iraq, showing all the nations involved.

[Fallap]

The next one who say: "Royal LIFEGUARDS" are gonna get severely abused.

Its Royal Guards! :p

Ps. I must try to find that book, thanks for sharing Salonen :D

[Kratluskeren]

Well, lifeguards fits just fine ......

The Royal Guards:
If it does not move - polish it
If it moves - salute it

[TravelingHomeless]

Any idea of the next unit Denmark will send to Helmand next year? And are they increasing their troops number, i know that supposedly the JGK are going to in to operate asap.

[Salonen]

Team 7 from February to August, 2009. I think.

HQ/Supply Coy, 1 Battalion Gardehussarregiment.

1 Infantry Coy, 1 Battalion Gardehussarregiment.

4 Infantry Coy, 1 Battalion Kongelige Livgarde.

[Eeobroht87]

Norway's deployment so far has consisted of a battalion-sized force divided into a Quick Reaction Force (Germany took over the QRF this summer) and National Command element in Mazar-e-Sharif, a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Meymaneh and the National Support Element in Kabul International Airport. These deployments are rotated through the three combat battalions we have (its pathetic that we have so few, I know!): Panserbataljonen, 2. Bataljon, and Telemark Bataljon. This adds up to 500-600 soldiers from the army. We also have a Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) working along with the American Task Force Phoenix in training and assisting the ANA.

In addition to this, we have a Special Forces contingient in the country from time to time, and the Air Force currently have a 60-man deployment to Meymaneh to support the MEDEVAC helicopters (3 Bell 212SP) that are stationed there.

Disclaimer: All this is information that is easy to find on the internet, and not a violation of OPSEC in any way.

[TravelingHomeless]

Norway's deployment so far has consisted of a battalion-sized force divided into a Quick Reaction Force (Germany took over the QRF this summer) and National Command element in Mazar-e-Sharif, a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Meymaneh and the National Support Element in Kabul International Airport. These deployments are rotated through the three combat battalions we have (its pathetic that we have so few, I know!): Panserbataljonen, 2. Bataljon, and Telemark Bataljon. This adds up to 500-600 soldiers from the army. We also have a Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) working along with the American Task Force Phoenix in training and assisting the ANA.

In addition to this, we have a Special Forces contingient in the country from time to time, and the Air Force currently have a 60-man deployment to Meymaneh to support the MEDEVAC helicopters (3 Bell 212SP) that are stationed there.

Disclaimer: All this is information that is easy to find on the internet, and not a violation of OPSEC in any way.


Just 3 combat battalions? Yikes, no wonder your troop numbers are low in regard to international operations. But isn't your primary contribution to Afghanistan is in the North in the form of 1 or 2 infantry companies?

And the SF already in the country stay til the end of the year right and the number of 100-150 include logistics right?

[Eeobroht87]

Something like that, yes.

And when you realize that our standing army is a outright joke, you also realize that in the event of Russian aggression, we're at NATO's mercy at present. Sure, we can mobilize 80 000 home guardsmen, but what can a bunch of light infantrymen with a AG3 do against a Russian T-90 tank? Fortunately it seems that the politicians might be waking up from the naive happy-bubble they've been in since the collapse of the Soviet Union and started to realize that "hey, maybe we should be able to, you know, defend ourselves now that Russia's becoming a military power again?" Don't hold your breath though.

[TravelingHomeless]

Something like that, yes.

And when you realize that our standing army is a outright joke, you also realize that in the event of Russian aggression, we're at NATO's mercy at present. Sure, we can mobilize 80 000 home guardsmen, but what can a bunch of light infantrymen with a AG3 do against a Russian T-90 tank? Fortunately it seems that the politicians might be waking up from the naive happy-bubble they've been in since the collapse of the Soviet Union and started to realize that "hey, maybe we should be able to, you know, defend ourselves now that Russia's becoming a military power again?" Don't hold your breath though.

How does the Telemark battalion stand in the middle of this? Will it be reinforced by another company or will the defense officials try to bring up another battalion to replicate it?

Seems a long way since you Norwegians were sending out troops to eveywhere in UN missions or in the Balkans. How many troops can you maintain on an international mission at any given time?

[Eeobroht87]

Telemark battalion is one of the three manouver battalions we have available. The other are Panserbataljonen and 2nd Battalion. Of course, we also have His Majesty the King's Guard, but they're always on active duty in Oslo so they can't be sent overseas.

As for how many troops we can sustain overseas, you've got to keep in mind that we're starting to send out Home Guardsmen volunteers in order to meet our already overstretched commitments, I doubt we can sustain many more foreign deployments. Since 2002, we've had a battalion's worth (600-800) deployed to Afghanistan, but the result is now that the men and equipment is worn out and in need of rest and replacement. As a result, the army's talking about cutting the contribution to Afghanistan considerably in order to keep the integrity of the army intact. Additionally, the politicians have decided to send 150 troops and a field hospital to Chad now, making the situation even more critical.

As for raising another battalion, I wish, but highly doubtful. Most of the parties are dead-set against raising the military (some of them want to cut the strength even further!), with only one of the parties having stated that they want to raise another battalion (the Conservatives) and another party (the Progress Party) having stated that they want to do "whatever is necessary to keep the military intact".

Personally, I believe that what we should do is to bring Brigade North up to full strength and then raise another brigade or two so we'd have two or three brigades with six to twelve manouver battalions. This would have allowed us to meet the requirements for deployments overseas while at the same time giving the troops the chance to reach the "six months aboard, twenty-four at home" goal the politicians have spoken about. It would also have given us a chance of actually having a chance of defending our country in the event that the Russians try something fishy against us in the future.