Persian Gulf
INT'L MOD
Denmark fires defence chief over Red Sea failures
Danish military failed to report malfunction of missile system during Houthi drone attackDenmark’s government has fired the country’s top military official after embarrassing revelations about faulty air defences on a frigate it sent to the Red Sea to fend off Houthi attacks on commercial shipping.
General Flemming Lentfer was sacked late on Wednesday after failing to report to the defence minister that the Iver Huitfeldt had experienced a half-hour long malfunction of its missile and radar systems during a drone attack last month. The ship was recalled early from its mission.
Denmark’s defence forces in March said the Iver Huitfeldt had successfully shot down drones flown by Houthi rebels over the Red Sea. Sune Lund, captain of the frigate, was quoted as saying: “At a little after 4am local time we recognised a drone which was heading towards Iver Huitfeldt and the surrounding ships. After making sure it was an enemy, we engaged and defeated it. Over the next hour this happened three more times.”
But Olfi reported a completely different story on Tuesday, saying that a confidential report from the captain said that the lives of the 175 crew on board had been put at risk after its air defence system failed for 30 minutes during the drone attack. Some of the missiles it fired had also exploded prematurely. The report added that some of the problems had been known for years, Olfi added.
Denmark fires defence chief over Red Sea failures
Danish military failed to report malfunction of missile system during Houthi drone attack
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