Denmark has fully transitioned to extended compulsory military service as of 3 August 2026. Service in the Army, Navy and Air Force now lasts 11 months instead of the previous four, according to the Danish Defence.
Under the new model, conscripts complete five months of basic training followed by six months of operational service with further instruction. Certain units — the Royal Life Guards and the Guard Hussar Regiment’s Mounted Squadron — serve 12 months. Service with the Emergency Management Agency remains nine months.
Men and women are now assessed under the same rules. All citizens who turn 18 after 1 July 2025 are called to Defence Day (Forsvarets Dag) on equal terms. A lottery fills any remaining places if there are not enough volunteers.
These changes form part of the 2024–2033 Defence Agreement. The goal is to strengthen the operational capacity of the Danish Armed Forces amid a shifting geopolitical landscape. Annual conscript intake is set to rise to roughly 6,500–7,500 by 2033.
The first small groups under the 11-month programme began service in February 2026 in Haderslev, Karup and Frederikshavn. The full intake started in early August, with around 1,600 young people reporting for duty nationwide — the large majority of them volunteers.
The Danish Defence says the longer service will boost combat readiness while giving young people greater scope for personal and professional development.