At the same press conference, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen used an archery analogy: air defenses could shoot down the arrows coming toward Denmark; long-range weapons would allow it to destroy the bows firing them.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was explicit about the potential adversary. The new capability could be used against targets inside Russia, she said. Then-Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stressed that NATO had no intention of initiating an attack on Russia, but needed stronger means of deterrence.
An Anthem cruise missile during a test flight on June 30, 2026. Denmark has selected the ground-launched weapon for its new long-range strike capability. Photo: Covenant
That reasoning gives the acquisition a purpose beyond retaliation. In a conflict, Denmark wants options for reducing the volume of incoming attacks by hitting the military systems that generate them.
Two Routes to Long-Range Strike
The choice of two launch methods serves that ambition. Speaking at the October announcement, Bruus said acquiring different weapons that could be fired from different positions would allow Denmark to operate from both land and the air, increasing its ability to respond if attacked, according to the Danish news agency Ritzau.
The Joint Strike Missile would add a standoff attack weapon to Denmark’s F-35 force. Kongsberg designed it for internal carriage in the aircraft, preserving its low-observable profile, and for attacks against both ships and land targets. Those characteristics would make it relevant to maritime operations as well as strikes ashore. They do not, however, establish which missions Denmark will assign to it.