Royal Danish Air Force Welcomes First F-35A Fighter Jet

On April 7, Denmark’s first F-35A, L-001, was delivered to the Royal Danish Air Force. The Kingdom of Denmark commemorated the milestone with members of the Ministry of Defence, Danish Defence, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization, the Royal Danish Air Force, U.S. Military Services, and industry partners at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas facility. Denmark is the fifth European NATO nation to fly and operate the F-35. Their addition strengthens NATO’s fifth-generation airpower and unites them with the air defenses of the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway.

“The roll-out ceremony of our first F-35 is a huge milestone for Denmark. The F-35 will play a major transformational role, not only for the Danish Air Force but for the Danish Armed Forces. Denmark has been a partner in the F-35 program for more than 20 years. The F-35 partnership is an essential platform that unites its participants. Operationally and strategically, the F-35 will surpass anything we can do with our current inventory. It will continue to strengthen cooperation with our partners and allies. ” said F-35 Joint Program Office, Denmark National Deputy, Col. Jonas Ottosen.

L-001 made its first flight in January 2021 and completed a series of comprehensive tests to ensure that all systems function properly in the aircraft before delivery. The construction of brand new Danish F-35 facilities at Air Base Skrydstrup in Vojens, Denmark, specifically designed to support the fifth-generation aircraft, began in 2020. In October of 2023, Denmark is scheduled to receive their First F-35 Aircraft Arrival in-country.The aircraft will arrive at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona next week to facilitae the training of Danish F-35 pilots and maintainers.

The F-35 is the premier multi-mission strike fighter of choice for three U.S. services, seven international partners, and six Foreign Military Sales customers. The F-35 routinely demonstrates its unmatched capabilities at the hands of our joint and international warfighters, performing combat operations from land and the sea. The F-35 system combines stealth, advanced weapons and sensors, and information sharing with joint and allied forces to dominate current and future threats.