Danish-British training in the Faroe Islands

During the past two weeks, units from the Danish special operations forces alongside British special forces have been training in the Faroe Islands.

October 6, 2026 - 10:33
Inspektionsfartøjet Lauge Koch, civile fartøjer og og RHIBs under øvelse Lion Protector

The inspection vessel HDMS Lauge Koch and high-speed inflatable boats (RHIBs) carrying Danish and British soldiers. Photo: Christian Sundsdal / Danish Defence

By the Danish Defence Command

 

As part of exercise Lion Protector 26, Danish and British soldiers trained together in scenarios including preventing sabotage of critical infrastructure in the Faroe Islands. The exercise marks the first land-based military exercise on the islands since the end of the Cold War and allowed for training in the unique geography and terrain of the Faroe Islands, including some rough weather conditions.

 

Danish and British units worked closely with Faroese authorities and actors, including the Municipality of Vestmanna and VØRN. VØRN operates the Faroese maritime rescue service and played an active role in supporting the exercise. Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command and its liaison element in the Faroe Islands also supported the exercise.

 

dansk og britisk soldat træner boarding under øvelse Lion Protector

British soldiers train in ship boarding. Photo: Christian Sundsdal / Danish Defence

The exercise series Lion Protector is conducted within the framework of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) defence partnership, a collaboration between ten Northern European nations. The purpose of the JEF is to ensure cooperation and coordination among the participating countries and to facilitate a rapid, joint response to security challenges in NATO’s northern regions, including the Arctic and the Baltic area. The JEF complements NATO’s collective security system.

 

Danske og britiske soldater boarder skib ved Færøerne under øvelse Lion Protector

The training exercises off the Faroe Islands also involved the use of civilian vessels. Photo: Christian Sundsdal / Danish Defence

Lion Protector 26 runs from August to October across a geographical area extending from the Arctic and the North Atlantic to the Baltic Sea, involving soldiers from all branches of the armed forces. The Baltic Express operation - which took place in August and involved escorting ships carrying equipment for the Danish troops in Latvia - was also part of Exercise Lion Protector 26.

 

Read the article: The combat battalion has arrived in Latvia.

 

Danske og britiske specialstyrker i RHIB i færøsk farvand under øvelse Lion Protector

The Faroese landscape and climate added extra value to the exercise. Photo: Christian Sundsdal / Danish Defence

Joint Expeditionary Force

Denmark is a member of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) defense partnership. It is led by the United Kingdom and also comprises Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Iceland. The JEF complements NATO as well as existing European and global security structures.

 

The purpose of the JEF is to strengthen relations between the participating nations' armed forces, build capabilities, and improve interoperability. Through their participation in the JEF, Denmark and the other member nations aim to address shared security challenges, bolster regional stability, and contribute to broader international peace and security efforts. The JEF focuses primarily on threats that fall below the threshold of war.