The Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation of the Danish Ministry of Defence has selected Rheinmetall for the supply of new decoy countermeasures launchers for the Royal Danish Navy.
The systems will be retrofitted on two Absalon-class frigates and three Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates. A frame agreement with a firm period of 20 years will cover the supply of ammunition for the launchers as well as in-service maintenance.
Rheinmetall will also provide training for crews on the operation of the launchers.
The frigates to be fitted with the launchers are notable for utilising the same basic hull design despite being optimised for different roles. The Absalon-class frigates are being operated as anti-submarine warfare platforms while the Iver Huitfeldt-class ships are used primarily for air defence.
All ships belonging to both classes were built by now-closed local shipyard Odense Staalskibsværft, which was a subsidiary of container shipping giant the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group. HDMS Niels Juel, the final Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate, was the last ship delivered by the company before it ceased operations in 2012.