US F-35 Lightning II fighters will be deployed in Denmark for the first time

The Royal Danish Air Force has begun preparations for the arrival of US fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighters. The planes will be stationed at Fighter Wing Skrydstrup airbase.

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The F-35 Lightning II has landed in Denmark before, but has never been deployed in the country for an extended period of time. The fighters will arrive in the Scandinavian country, where their stay will last until 16 March.

The Royal Air Force airbase will receive five US aircraft in preparation for the arrival of the first Danish fighters. Denmark has been part of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme since 1997 and officially already has six F-35 Lightning IIs. However, all of the fighters are still at the US Air Force base Luke, where training is underway.

The Danish defence ministry has said it will keep all US aircraft so as not to invest in costly infrastructure and pilot training. Denmark has ordered 27 fifth-generation F-16 Lightning II fighters. Deliveries will last until 2026. The aircraft will replace the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which has been in service since the 1980s.

Although Denmark will have 27 F-35s in 2026, the F-16 fighters will not be withdrawn from service until 2027. This is due to the deteriorating security situation caused by Russia's attack on Ukraine.

Source: Defence Brief