Denmark To Buy Anthem Munitions, Joint Strike Missiles In Dual Long-Range Strike Push

Denmark is planning two complementary weapons: Anthem, developed by U.S. defense startup Covenant, and the Joint Strike Missile, or JSM, made by Norway’s Kongsberg with Raytheon. The purchase would give Denmark both ground-based and air-based long-range strike options.

Anthem is described as a ground-launched weapon, but its exact launch method has not been confirmed. Images from U.S. Army testing show it being handled on a tricycle undercarriage. That may indicate rocket-assisted takeoff from a runway. JSM is a conventional air-launched cruise missile.

Denmark plans to use JSM with its F-35A fighters. The missile can be carried internally or externally on F-35 aircraft. Copenhagen has not announced how many weapons it will buy, how much they will cost, or when deliveries will arrive.

The most striking range figure belongs to Anthem. Unconfirmed reports place its reach at roughly 740 miles, or 1,200 kilometers. Covenant has not publicly confirmed that range, so it should be treated as an estimate rather than a settled specification.

Reports also indicate that Anthem carries a warhead weighing more than 200 kilograms. Its propulsion system uses a solid rocket motor for the initial boost, then switches to a heavy-fuel jet engine for cruise flight. These details help explain its intended long-range role.

The article does not provide JSM’s range or warhead weight. It identifies JSM as an air-launched cruise missile for attacking land and sea targets. Denmark has also not disclosed the number of missiles it plans to purchase, the deal’s value, or delivery dates.

Combining Anthem and JSM would give Denmark more ways to conduct long-range, stand-off precision strikes. Anthem would operate from the ground, while JSM would be carried by Danish F-35As. Together, they reduce Denmark’s reliance on one launch platform.

The practical example is clear: a ground unit could employ Anthem, while an F-35 could launch JSM against a land or sea target. JSM can be carried internally or externally on F-35 aircraft. Anthem uses a solid rocket boost followed by a heavy-fuel jet engine, although its precise launch method remains uncertain.

This mix would expand Denmark’s ability to respond to an attack and strike targets behind enemy lines. It would also give Danish forces more options for attacking high-value military targets. The purchases fit Copenhagen’s stated plan to acquire new long-range offensive precision weapons.

Denmark and other European NATO members are seeking longer-range weapons because Europe’s security situation has worsened. The article links the push to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and a new surge in friction between Russia and NATO members.

Recent conflicts have also shown how quickly militaries can consume critical munitions. The article says the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East have highlighted the difficulty of building stockpiles and replacing weapons during prolonged fighting. Longer-range systems add another layer of military choice.

Denmark announced last year that it would pursue long-range offensive precision weapons. Its defense minister now describes the purchases as a signal that Denmark can strike back. Across NATO, systems such as Anthem also reflect interest in weapons that can be produced rapidly, affordably, and in large numbers.

The article directly compares JSM with the Naval Strike Missile, saying JSM is an enlarged derivative of the surface-launched NSM. JSM is air-launched and can attack targets on land and at sea. It is intended to give Denmark’s F-35As a new stand-off precision-strike capability.

Anthem is different in design and emphasis. It sits between long-range kamikaze drones and traditional cruise missiles. Covenant presents it as a lower-cost system that can be produced more easily and at greater scale than many existing weapons. Its solid rocket boost and heavy-fuel jet engine support its long-range mission.

The article does not identify Denmark’s current NSM inventory or describe specific shorter-range weapons that these systems would complement. It does say the new purchases will provide complementary strike options and expand the platforms available for precision attacks.

Denmark’s planned weapons could strengthen NATO’s ability to deter or respond to a Russian attack by adding more long-range precision-strike options. Denmark would be able to launch strikes from both ground positions and F-35 aircraft, complicating an attacker’s planning.

For example, JSM could be carried by Danish F-35As against land or sea targets, while Anthem would provide a separate ground-based option. The two systems would expand the platforms available for stand-off attacks and support strikes against high-value military targets. They would also signal that Denmark can strike back.

The broader effect is not yet measurable. Copenhagen has not disclosed quantities, prices, or delivery dates. Anthem’s exact launch method is also unclear, and JSM’s final contract scope remains under negotiation. Still, the purchases match NATO’s wider effort to build larger, more affordable long-range weapon inventories.

A stand-off cruise missile is a guided weapon launched far enough from its target that the launching aircraft or ground force does not need to approach the target directly. It flies under powered control toward a selected land or sea target. The article describes JSM as an air-launched cruise missile and Anthem as a related long-range strike weapon.

In general, satellite navigation can provide position updates, while inertial navigation estimates movement using onboard sensors when outside signals are unavailable. Terrain mapping lets a missile compare the ground below with stored maps. Near the target, an infrared seeker can recognize heat patterns or outlines and refine the final approach.

Those guidance details are not explained in the supplied article, so they should be treated as general background rather than confirmed specifications for Anthem or JSM. The article’s central point is that both weapons provide stand-off precision-strike options from different launch platforms.