On January 12, three new F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter jets arrived at Skrydstrup Air Base, Denmark, marking an important step in the Royal Danish Air Force’s continued transition away from F-16 aircraft. The jet was delivered from Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and made a technical stop in the Azores with support from U.S. Air Force tanker aircraft.
The Danish Ministry of Defense confirmed that the arrival of these jets brings the total number of F-35s delivered to 17. Eleven of the aircraft are stationed in Denmark, and six remain at Luke Air Force Base for training of Danish pilots and technicians. This is part of Denmark’s broader strategy to build operational readiness for a squadron of F-35s that will eventually replace its aging F-16s.
Denmark has ordered 27 F-35A Lightning IIs from Lockheed Martin, with first deliveries expected to begin in 2023. Training of Danish pilots began in the United States in 2020, and the first Danish pilots flew the F-35 in January 2021. The training flights utilized U.S. Air Force aircraft, reflecting equipment standardization across a growing list of F-35 export customers.
The Danish Air Force plans to achieve initial operational capability with its F-35 squadron this year. This means that the F-35 will gradually begin to take over roles from the F-16, including the critical air security mission of keeping two jets on standby to intercept foreign aircraft approaching Danish airspace. becomes possible. A full transition to the F-35 is expected to occur over the next few years, with both types of aircraft operating in parallel during the interim period.
Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 1,100 F-35 aircraft in various configurations around the world. Denmark becomes the fifth country in Europe to begin operating the F-35 domestically, following Norway and the Netherlands. Other countries such as Belgium and Poland also received their first F-35s, but their aircraft are still stationed in the United States.
