From having a reconnaissance battalion to becoming a full infantry fighting regiment. The Danish island of Bornholm, strategically located in the Baltic Sea, is getting a military revamp. In a few years, a well-trained combat force should be in place. Goal of the metamorphoses: discourage Russia from ever taking the island.
The new Bornholm Regiment, the 10th such unit in the Danish Army, will be between 500 and 900 men and women strong. Its combat force will include 15 new Patria 6×6 armoured personnel vehicles (APC), of which the first two were transported directly from the arms factory in Finland to the Danish island on 1 September 2025. The Bornholm Regiment will be the first to use the new-built APCs, which can accommodate up to 10 fully-equipped combat troops. Denmark ordered a total of 129 new Patria APCs of the type that just arrived on Bornholm.
Army camp in Bornholms capital
The upgrade from a 200-strong battalion force to the new regiment will have a serious impact on the facilities at the Almegårds Kaserne, the army camp in the island capital of Rønne on the western edge of the island. By being placed there, one of the tasks is to ensure the harbour facilities of the island remain in Danish hands for supplies from the mainland – or from NATO allies.
Expanding with 5,000 personnel
The Danish Amy (Hæren in Danish) currently consists of two brigades and nine regiments. The Bornholm Regiment will be the 10th unit. The government in Copenhagen has embarked on expanding the armed forces to by 5,000 personnel to 28,000 soldiers and civilians – by 2033. The expansion is a reaction by what NATO sees as the increased threat of Russia. | © 2025 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Featured image: the first of two new Patria 6×6 APCs arrives on Bornholm (Photo: Bornholms Regiment/Forsvaret)