Denmark buys unmanned ground vehicles
Denmark’s Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization has procured eight unmanned ground vehicles for testing by the Danish Army, marking the country’s first structured trial of robotic land systems for operational use.
According to a statement published by Forsvarsministeriets Materiel- og Indkøbsstyrelse (FMI), the vehicles will be delivered to the Army’s Combat Troops Branch in Slagelse, where testing will begin in January 2026. The program is intended to assess technical performance, tactical utility, and operational limitations of unmanned ground systems.
The procurement includes four THeMIS platforms supplied by Estonia-based Milrem Robotics and four MFP-1 systems supplied by the United Kingdom’s XRC Robotics. FMI said the selection reflects a mix of heavy and light robotic platforms designed for different battlefield roles.
The larger THeMIS platform weighs about 1,600 kilograms and can carry a payload of up to 1,200 kilograms using its tracked configuration. It uses a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system and has a reported operational range of up to 200 kilometers. Denmark has acquired the platform initially without mounted mission equipment, though its open architecture allows for modular additions, including remotely operated weapon stations.
As noted by FMI, one objective of the test program is to examine how unmanned “ground drones” can support combat units with logistics, reconnaissance, and direct battlefield support. The trials are informed by operational lessons observed in the war in Ukraine, where both sides have used unmanned ground vehicles for resupply, casualty evacuation, and reconnaissance under heavy drone threat.
Jakob, a case officer in FMI’s Land Division who was involved in the acquisition, said that later stages of the testing could include the installation of a light 7.62mm machine gun on the THeMIS platform. “At first, the focus is on observation and support tasks,” he said, describing a phased approach to evaluating armed configurations.
At the lighter end of the spectrum, the MFP-1 mini-UGV weighs about 25 kilograms and can be carried by a single soldier. Despite its size, it can transport a payload of up to 35 kilograms and reach speeds of about 60 kilometers per hour. Powered by batteries, it has a range of roughly 30 kilometers and is intended for rapid deployment and reconnaissance missions.
The small MFP-1 vehicles will initially be used exclusively for observation and surveillance, FMI said, allowing soldiers to evaluate how portable robotic systems can extend situational awareness without exposing personnel to direct risk.
The Danish Army has not set a fixed timeline for deciding whether to proceed with larger-scale procurement following the tests. Officials said the goal of the trial phase is to generate practical data from soldiers operating the systems in field conditions rather than laboratory evaluations.
Denmark’s move reflects a broader trend among European militaries to explore unmanned ground systems as a complement to manned forces. The experience of Ukraine has highlighted how ground robots can reduce exposure to artillery, drones, and small-arms fire while sustaining frontline operations.
