In recent reports, the Danish media highlighted the challenges faced by its most modern corvette, Iver Huitfeldt, during its 3-month mission in the Red Sea. The OLFI newspaper quoted an internal message from Lieutenant Colonel Sune Lund, commander of the corvette, detailing the issues experienced during this mission to respond to the Houthis and protect maritime routes.
Iver Huitfeldt, one of the most advanced warships in the Danish navy with a price tag of approximately 325 million USD, encountered significant problems with its APAR radar and C-Flex combat management system. These issues prevented it from firing long-range air defense missiles at critical moments. Furthermore, some of its 76 mm artillery shells prematurely detonated after leaving the barrel posing a significant safety threat to the ship and its crew.
This incident is not unique as European warships have faced challenges in combat zones like the Red Sea before. For example, Germany’s Sachsen missile guard ship launched two SM-2 air defense missiles at a suspicious UAV later identified as a US MQ-9 Reaper resulting in a misfire that cost millions of dollars to German army. These incidents highlight the challenges and risks faced by naval forces when operating in such environments.
The Danish Ministry of Defense has launched an investigation into Iver Huitfeldt’s combat activities in response to these issues raised by Lieutenant Colonel Sune Lund’s internal message. This raises concerns about the effectiveness and reliability of advanced naval technology in combat scenarios involving European warships serving in such regions.
