Denmark has created a new Royal Danish Air Force unit to operate its incoming long-range drones, formally standing up 729 Squadron on February 16, 2026.
According to the Danish Defense Command, the squadron will home four remotely piloted aircraft to support surveillance of Danish interests in the Arctic, the North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea, with the first aircraft expected from 2028.
The new squadron will sit under the Air Force Air Transport Wing and be physically based at Aalborg Air Base, Denmark’s defense command said.
The MQ-9B SeaGuardian is a version of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian long-endurance drone designed specifically for maritime missions. It can fly for 24 hours or more and perform intelligence gathering, ocean monitoring, and target identification simultaneously.
Building the unit ahead of deliveries
The Danish Ministry of Defence announced in July 2025 that an agreement had been concluded to purchase four “long-range drones” through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency framework. The wider package includes three ground control stations, training, maintenance, and associated equipment, with deliveries expected between 2028 and 2029.
Denmark says the capability will require a significant personnel build-up. The service expects to need around 100 people, including pilots and technicians, and notes that while the aircraft are unmanned, they are flown by crews from ground-based control stations.
The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation said Danish personnel will initially train in the US, and that the system will require certification to operate in regulated national and international airspace alongside manned aircraft.
Denmark’s defense command said 729 Squadron previously existed from 1955 to 1993 as a photo reconnaissance unit, and that the re-established squadron will again contribute reconnaissance, now using modern sensor suites aligned with today’s surveillance and intelligence needs.
