Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen dismissed the commander of the armed forces, Flemming Lentfer, due to problems identified on the frigate Iver Huitfeldt while the warship was in the Red Sea.
Iver Huitfeldt was part of the combined squadron created to ensure freedom of navigation. On March 9, while repelling an attack by the Houthis, the air defense system failed. The ammunition also turned out to be of poor quality – half exploded before reaching the target.
The warship’s crew managed to shoot down four of the 15 unmanned aerial vehicles fired at it. However, then it was decided to return the frigate, which was supposed to remain in the Red Sea until mid-April, to its homeland for repairs.
Motivating the decision to dismiss Lentfer, Poulsen emphasized that, given the challenges facing the armed forces, they need a new commander. He became Major General Mikael Hildgaard, commander of special operations.