Four F-35 Lightning IIs have been delivered to the Danish Fighter Wing Skrydstrup facility after taking off from the US.
With the delivery, the European country now has eight F-35 fighter jets and expects another three to arrive in the following months.
Colonel Kim Jensen, commander of Fighter Wing Skrydstrup base, explained that “the arrival of more aircraft at Skrydstrup means that we can go from flying basic training to maintain the level we have learned in the US to now actually starting to train more people.”
“At the same time, we can start training in larger scenarios, and we can start training more specifically in relation to what we will actually need the F-35 for in the future,” Jensen added.
Boost in Defense Spending
Copenhagen expanded its fighter jet fleet in recent years and raised its military spending significantly.
In September 2023, Denmark received its first four Lockheed Martin-made F-35s to replace the Royal Danish Air Force’s current F-16s, which have been in service since the 1980s and are scheduled for retirement in 2027.
Earlier in 2023, Copenhagen announced a boost of 143 billion kroner ($20.5 billion) for its defense budget over the next decade.
