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A routine test aboard a Danish Navy frigate went haywire on Thursday, leaving an activated Harpoon missile launcher stuck in “go” mode. While the missile itself supposedly won’t explode, the unpredictable booster rocket poses a real threat, sending fragments raining down on busy shipping lanes and forcing authorities to shut down a major waterway.
The missile that wouldn’t quit
The glitch occurred aboard the HDMS Niels Juel, anchored near the Korsoer naval base. Authorities insist the missile is “live” but unarmed, meaning the real danger comes from the activated booster. This chunk of volatile hardware could send the missile hurtling several kilometers with potentially devastating results.
Recognizing the potential hazards, authorities swiftly established a safety perimeter. The Danish Maritime Authority cordoned off a significant portion of the Storebaelt strait, a major shipping artery connecting the Baltic and North Seas. Ships in the vicinity were directed to halt their movements, and a no-fly zone was imposed over the area.
Even the iconic Storebaelt Bridge, a critical transportation link spanning the strait carrying both trains and cars, faced the specter of a missile-induced shutdown. Luckily, things didn’t escalate that far. Bridge operators ultimately maintained regular train and vehicle traffic across the structure.
Blast from the past
This isn’t the first misadventure of its kind for the Danish Navy. As AP reports, back in 1982, a similar snafu sent a missile careening 34 kilometers (over 20 miles!) before obliterating several summer homes. Thankfully, nobody was hurt that time, but the incident serves as a chilling reminder of what could happen.
The missile malfunction compounds existing challenges facing Denmark’s defense forces. The recent dismissal of Denmark’s chief of defense followed revelations that weapons system failures aboard the Iver Huitfeldt frigate were concealed during its Red Sea deployment. The incident occurred during a period of heightened naval support for commercial shipping in the wake of attacks attributed to Houthi militants.
While the immediate crisis has been averted and shipping restrictions lifted, the incident serves as a pointed reminder of the need for stringent safety protocols and meticulous accountability within military operations. The Danish Navy will undoubtedly face scrutiny as it investigates the root cause of this alarming malfunction.
