Canada to lend Denmark AEVs until Wisent 2 deliveries

DALO has signed a contract with FFG for the procurement of Wisent 2 AEVs for the Danish army. (Danish MoD)

The Canadian Armed Forces will lend the Danish army three armoured engineer vehicles (AEVs) until Denmark receives Wisent 2 AEVs.

The Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) announced through the Danish Armed Forces website on 17 July that it had signed a contract with FFG for the procurement of Wisent 2 AEVs.

The vehicles will be operated by the Danish army's 1st Armoured Engineer Battalion in Skive and will be used primarily as armoured recovery vehicles (ARVs) to support the service's Leopard 2A7 main battle tanks and CV9035 infantry fighting vehicles. The battalion currently operates five Wisent 1s, according to Janes World Armies.

DALO said the Canadian vehicles will be used to train engineers at Skive until it receives its first Wisent 2s. A Canadian Armed Forces spokesperson told Janes on 19 July, “The Canadian Army agreed to loan three of our Leopard 2 armoured engineering vehicles to the Royal Danish Army. This was done to enable the Royal Danish Army to train on platforms similar to those they are in the process of procuring, that is the Wisent 2. The Wisent 2 is based on the Leopard 2 and is a variant very similar to the Canadian Army Leopard 2 armoured engineer vehicle. Through this agreement, we continue to build the strength of Canada's NATO partnerships.

“The agreement is from summer 2024, with the exact date to be confirmed upon reception, until 20 February 2027. The Royal Danish Army will be responsible for the transportation of the vehicles from Canada and maintenance of the vehicles while they are borrowed.”