F-35 announced ready to be part of the Quick Reaction Alert

By Danish Defence Command

With a blue cloudless sky and an F-35 with the Danish flag on its tail as a backdrop, Chief of Defence Michael Hyldgaard monday announced that the new Danish F-35 fighter jets are ready to be part of the denial response.

"This is a great day. Denmark should be proud. The Danish Defence should be proud, and not least Fighter Wing Skrydstrup should be proud. It has been a long and complicated process, and many people have been involved in getting here. Thank you for your efforts," said the Chief of Defence.

The handover of the denial capability will take effect from the 1 of April, when the Danish Air Force can send F-35s into the air to deny foreign nations' aircraft and assert Denmark's sovereignty in the airspace. It will not be the F-35 every time from day one, but gradually the F-35 will be deployed instead of the F-16.

"The F-35 provides a strategic advantage that can both deter threats and defend our territory and interests, and the aircraft increases the defence's ability to operate effectively with NATO allies and future partners in the F-35 programme," says Acting Chief of Defence Michael Hyldgaard.

Important milestone in the F-35 phase-in

"This is a big deal for the Air Force, and one of the milestones we have been aiming for since the implementation of the F-35 began," says Major General Jan Dam, Head of Air Command.

"Building the large F-35 complex, fitting out the buildings, training mechanics, planners, weapons personnel and pilots alongside the phasing out of the F-16 are all challenges that we have had to navigate. But our partners and employees have worked purposefully and professionally to make this happen. And now here we are in 2025 with a new fighter aircraft capacity that is ready to deliver combat power. I'm proud of that," says Jan Dam.

The plan is for the F-35 to gradually take over all tasks from the F-16 aircraft over the coming years.