The Danish government intends to significantly boost its acquisition of Lockheed Martin F-35As, targeting an eventual fleet strength of 43 of the fifth-generation type.

Announced on 10 October, a proposed follow-on buy will lead to Copenhagen ordering an extra 16 of the jets, on top of an existing commitment to take 27 examples.

Defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen describes the measure as to “deliver a historic strengthening of the Danish air force”, while the nation’s chief of defence, General Michael Hyldgaard, notes that it will see the “Danish contribution to NATO increased significantly”.

“The Danish Ministry of Defence will now initiate a dialogue with the F-35 Joint Program Office on the details of the acquisition, including possibilities for accelerated delivery of the new fighter jets to support a rapid upscaling of the Danish armed forces’ combat power,” Copenhagen says.

Additionally, the defence ministry has announced its intention to further bolster Denmark’s future capabilities, revealing that “a number of unmanned collaborative combat aircraft will also be acquired”. It has not disclosed further details, or identified any potential candidates for such a purchase.

The Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) has so far received 15 F-35As, including six examples which remain at Luke AFB in Arizona to support pilot training activities. Its first of the conventional take-off and landing aircraft arrived at Skrydstrup air base in Denmark in September 2023.

“The delivery of the remaining fighter jets from the current order of 27 F-35s is expected in 2026,” the defence ministry states. Being acquired to replace the RDAF’s Lockheed F-16AMs, the new assets are due to achieve full operational capability status in 2027.