NATO ally unveils huge £457m naval boost as fears rise over Russia threat

has unveiled major plans to overhaul its naval forces, citing the threat posed by . The ally has confirmed it will spend 4 billion Danish kroner (more than £457 million) on capabilities including dozens of new vessels for its navy and home guard fleets, drones and sonar systems.

The country's defence minister said the threats facing are "different and far more serious than just a few years ago". "The threat of in particular requires that we take action and this in a time of lightning-fast technological development," Troels Lund Poulsen said. "With the agreement on the Navy Plan, we are initiating a range of urgent acquisitions to ensure the Danish Defence at sea can counter these threats."

The Danish navy is set to get four multi-role marine environment and mine-laying vessels.

The ships will be capable of carrying out surveillance above and below the waves, training and environmental roles such as cleaning up chemical and oil spills.

The navy is also set to receive underwater drones and other autonomous capabilities for surveillance.

While 's home guard, which helps support its navy, is expected to get 21 new vessels.

A focus of the investment is strengthened surveillance of 's critical underwater infrastructure.

Since , there have been a series of incidents in the Baltic Sea in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged - many of which have been blamed on Moscow, something Russia has repeatedly denied.

Denmark is in a key strategic location between the North Sea and Baltic Sea where Russia has a major naval base in St Petersburg.

Last month, the country amid increasing concerns over the threat posed by .

's Chief of Defence Michael Hyldgaard said bolstering naval capabilities was "vital", adding: "The proposal also prioritises the increased use of unmanned systems, based in part on experiences gathered in Ukraine."

The plans have been backed by the Danish government and six other political parties.

They also agreed on the need to invest in larger navy vessels such as frigates to further strengthen 's combat power at sea.

In February, Copenhagen pledged to spend more than 3% of its GDP on defence over the next two years as European nations look to beef up their forces amid continued concerns over the threat posed by and US commitment to the continent.