New Danish defence platform takes first step: Alkeon enters strategic collaboration with major international defence player

When Alkeon was launched as a new platform under the family-owned investment group Bagger-Sørensen Equity, the ambition was clear: to build a bridge between Danish industry and the international defence industry, and to build concrete Danish capabilities in areas including weapon systems, ammunition production, drones, and logistics.

Now, Alkeon is taking the first step in that direction with a strategic collaboration with Leonardo, a leading global Aerospace, Defence and Security player.

The partnership is formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and reflects a shared ambition to strengthen Denmark's defence industrial base by establishing in country capacity for the assembly, and production activities, and giving a Danish footprint on the Leonardo's internationally recognized 76/62 mm Super Rapid (SR) Gun Mount, primary excellence among the Main caliber naval gun systems, currently in service with more than 60 Navies worldwide and with an ability to integrate both conventional and guided ammunitions, such as Vulcano family ammunition.

Such industrial cooperation framework could also be considered for future programs and opportunities within neighbouring geographical areas, potentially positioning Denmark as a regional center of excellence for the 76/62 mm SR Gun Mount.

At Alkeon there is great satisfaction with the agreement, explains Ole Kastrup Bridal, Investment Director at Bagger-Sørensen Equity and Chairman of the Board at Alkeon.

"Collaborating with such a significant defence player as Leonardo, is an important step toward establishing stronger defence production in Denmark, and it is a key milestone for Alkeon. It shows that Alkeon's strategic direction addresses a real demand for strengthening Danish defence production," says Ole Kastrup Bridal, adding:

"Today, building industrial capacity is just as strategically important as procuring defence equipment. Capabilities in assembly, integration, and local production strengthen Denmark's security of supply and create long-term value for both Danish industry and European defence."

The importance of production capacity

For Alkeon, the agreement marks the company's first strategic industrial collaboration and an important step in its ambition to build long-term defence-industrial capabilities. The collaboration is expected to create new skilled jobs, industrial investment, and increased Danish participation in future national and international defence programs.

"Security of supply and strong value chains will become just as important as using the product itself in the years ahead. We want to build capacity, both among manufacturing companies and engineering companies. The collaboration with Leonardo shows how we do this in practice, and we will be doing much more of this kind of work in the years to come," says Ole Kastrup Bridal.

At Leonardo, there is likewise great potential seen in the agreement with Alkeon.

"This partnership reflects our shared ambition to strengthen industrial cooperation in Denmark. Together with Alkeon, we aim to develop capabilities that support future defence programmes while strengthening industrial resilience, customer support and long-term security of supply. This agreement, as is the case with all our agreements across Europe, is based on Leonardo's business model that enables cost savings for the Customer, while maximising operational excellence and reliability, as well as industrial return and local content, provided that adequate volumes and long-term conditions are secured," says Luca Perazzo, Deputy Managing Director Defence Systems Business Area at Leonardo.

Beyond strengthening both companies, the collaboration is intended to act as a lever for the wider Danish defence ecosystem by creating opportunities for specialized subcontractors and technology companies to become part of Leonardo's international value chain.

In this, Alkeon draws in part on access to Bagger-Sørensen Equity's other industrial platforms – including Baso Group, Daeda, Motus, and the Grene Group – which could potentially play a role in supporting the needs of the defence industry.