Denmark bolsters fleet: Four more f‑35s touch down after delays
Denmark has received another four F-35 aircraft, meaning that half of the ordered fleet is already in place. Which variant of the aircraft did Poland’s ally choose?
Denmark has taken delivery of four new F-35 fighter jets, indicating that over half of the ordered fleet of these aircraft is now on Danish soil. The delivery was delayed due to challenges that the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, encountered in implementing software updates for the aircraft.
According to the Defense News portal, the new fighters have joined the fighter wing at the Skrydstrup base. This brings the total number of F-35 aircraft delivered to 15, as announced by the Danish Ministry of Defence in a statement released on Friday.
Denmark has ordered a total of 27 aircraft in the F-35A version for $3 billion, with six stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for training purposes. The final six contracted aircraft are to be delivered by the end of 2026.
Major General Jan Dam, Commander of the Royal Danish Air Force, noted that the delivery of four aircraft yesterday represents further progress in reaching full operational capability with the F-35.
Software issues and new geopolitical situation
The aircraft deliveries were delayed last year due to issues with the Technology Refresh 3 update, or TR-3. This forced Denmark to fill the gap in the delivery schedule by incorporating training models from the USA into its existing fleet of four aircraft.
Denmark needed these machines because the process of phasing out F-16A/B MLU aircraft is proceeding according to plan, which anticipates the end of the F-16 era in the Danish Air Force by the end of 2025. It is also worth noting that some of the withdrawn aircraft are already engaged in combat in Ukraine.
This situation is further complicated by threats from then-US President Donald Trump concerning Denmark's autonomous territory of Greenland. Despite this, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated in March to the newspaper "Borsen" that he wants to order more F-35 fighters. He claims that Denmark is too small to operate several types of fighters.
F-35 - the stealthy successor to the F-16
The F-35 is a modern multi-role aircraft designed using stealth technology. Initially, it was intended to complement the F-22 Raptor as a strike fighter, but over time, the F-35 project evolved into a more versatile machine. There are three versions of the aircraft: the F-35A (the most common land version), the F-35B capable of vertical take-off and landing, and the F-35C adapted for aircraft carrier operations.
One of the main advantages of the F-35A, apart from its low radar visibility, is its advanced sensor suite. This includes the AN/APG-81 radar or its newer version, AN/APG-85, with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna.
Additionally, the aircraft is equipped with the AN/AAQ-37 EODAS system, which consists of six infrared sensors providing full 360-degree detection around the aircraft. This feature, available on very few aircraft worldwide, allows for object detection and precise targeting, even if the targets are behind the aircraft.
However, like any aircraft, the F-35A has certain limitations. One is the limited capacity of its internal weapons bays, which can hold a maximum of six AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles or two B61-12 or JDAM-ER bombs. There is the possibility of carrying additional weapons on six pylons under the wings, although this negatively affects stealth characteristics.
Another limitation is the maximum flight speed of Mach 1.6 and the inability to achieve supersonic speed without using afterburners, known as supercruise. Such speed limits the effective range of, for example, air-to-air missiles.
