Denmark to Expand F-35A Fleet to 43 Fighter Jets—Order Finalized

Denmark has completed the procurement process for 16 additional Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft.

This is according to a report from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The Pentagon’s latest report on F-35 program acquisitions confirms that the Danish government and the Joint Program Management Office finalized the previously announced additional order by April 21 of this year.

Through this contract, the Danish F-35A fleet will grow to 43 aircraft by 2030: the first eight will be delivered in Lot 20, another six in Lot 21, and the remaining two in Lot 22.

This agreement was concluded after an F-35A aircraft intended for the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) sustained damage while still on the final assembly line, as noted in the annual report on selected procurements.

Denmark received its first F-35 in 2021, as the country had been participating in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter development program since 1997, which allowed its specialists to contribute to the fighter’s design and enabled local companies to secure contracts for the production of components.

Subsequently, the Danish Air Force received new fighter jets in batches in 2024 and 2025.

In October 2025, the Danish Ministry of Defense ordered 16 additional F-35A fighters to strengthen the country’s Air Force.

This June, according to a report by the Danish National Audit Office, the total cost of the project exceeded the Ministry of Defense’s initial estimates by nearly €1.91 billion.

At the same time, the U.S. State Department approved a potential sale of AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ER cruise missiles to Denmark for use on F-35A fighter jets.