Denmark Defence Ministry Signs Security of Supply Arrangement with U.S. DoD
The SOSA was signed by Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Dr. William A. LaPlante, on behalf of the United States and the Director of the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO), Lieutenant General Kim Jesper Jørgensen, on behalf of Denmark.
According to LaPlante, “This Security of Supply Arrangement with Denmark is very important to the United States. […] the SOSA will undoubtedly strengthen our respective security and resiliency of supply. Our signatures signify not only our pledge to standing together today but also our commitment to robust collaboration long into the future.”
What does the SOSA entail?
Through this SOSA, the United States and Denmark agree to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defense. The Arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs.
In the Arrangement, the U.S. and Denmark commit to supporting one another’s priority delivery requests for the procurement of critical national defense resources. The U.S. will provide Denmark with some assurances under the U.S. Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS), with action by DoD and adjudication by the Department of Commerce. Denmark will establish a government-industry Code of Conduct with its industrial base, where Danish firms will voluntarily agree to make every reasonable effort to provide the U.S. priority support.
A strategic partnership:
Within the global defense industrial base, SOSAs are an important mechanism for DoD to strengthen interoperability with U.S. defense trade partners. The arrangements establish communication mechanisms, institute working groups, streamline DoD processes, and proactively act to allay anticipated supply chain issues in peacetime, emergency, and armed conflict.
Denmark is a long-term strategic partner and ally of the United States and the U.S.’s twelfth SOSA partner. Other SOSA partners include Australia, Canada, Finland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.