Denmark will withdraw US F-16 fighter jets from its fleet as early as 2025, two years ahead of schedule, the defense minister announced on Monday, paving the way for the donation of some of these jets to Ukraine.
“The F-35s can be phased in and put into operation earlier than expected. Therefore, we are now in a situation where the F-16s can be withdrawn from service earlier than expected,” DR public television explained. Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
According to a document sent to Parliament and consulted by the DR, these planes should have flown until 2027. The F-16s “will remain in Denmark until 2024”, however, the minister declared.
43 F-16s, including 30 operational
Denmark is currently finalizing preparations for the training of Ukrainian F-16 pilots on its soil, which it hopes to start before the end of the summer.
The Danish Air Force has 43 F-16s, of which around 30 are operational. The Nordic country recently began taking delivery of its first fifth-generation F-35s to replace them.
Source: BFM TV
