Denmark rolls out its first F-35A
The first Royal Danish Air Force F-35A made its public debut on 7 April. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Multirole F-35A will be at the epicentre of Danish defence in the years ahead, says the country’s defence minister.
The Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) marked the rollout of its first F-35A multirole fighter aircraft on 7 April in a ceremony at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
The aircraft will be delivered to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona later in April, when Danish pilots and maintenance crews will begin training, Lockheed Martin stated.
‘The F-35s will be at the absolute centre for the Danish Defence in the coming decades,’ said Danish Minister of Defence Trine Bramsen, who attended the event virtually.
Lockheed Martin noted that Danish industry has a part to play in the F-35 programme. Terma and Multicut are involved in making pylons, advanced composites, software solutions, radar components and horizontal tail edges.
Denmark has a total of 27 F-35As on order from Lockheed Martin. Shephard Defence Insight estimates the total value of this procurement at $2.6 billion.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Wartime iteration gives Ukraine an edge as future UAV exporter]()
Eurosatory 2026: Wartime iteration gives Ukraine an edge as future UAV exporter
As industrial-scale drone production proves its battlefield worth in Ukraine, what happens to that production capacity and knowhow once the guns fall silent – and is Ukraine about to become one of the world’s most credible UAV export partners?
-
![Callen-Lenz pushes ahead with Nyan OWE as it hails operational success]()
Callen-Lenz pushes ahead with Nyan OWE as it hails operational success
The one-way-effector uncrewed aerial vehicle has also been tested by the British Army, following on from its contract award notice in February 2026.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Locally produced loitering munition destined for UAE Navy, says MBDA]()
Eurosatory 2026: Locally produced loitering munition destined for UAE Navy, says MBDA
The contract signed between MBDA and Fly-R will see diamond-shaped loitering munitions developed and prepared in the UAE. How does this move fit into wider market trends in the region?
-
![Eurosatory 2026: MBDA and Thales look to civilian industry for loitering munition scale-up]()
Eurosatory 2026: MBDA and Thales look to civilian industry for loitering munition scale-up
Thales and MBDA have taken steps to ensure the mass production of their respective loitering munition offerings at Eurosatoy, teaming with civilian manufacturers. These moves come amid France’s push towards sovereign drone production and continued market expansion.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: How the deep-strike, loitering munition market skyrocketed to $13.8 billion in three years]()
Eurosatory 2026: How the deep-strike, loitering munition market skyrocketed to $13.8 billion in three years
Ukraine’s rapid development of long-range, deep-strike loitering munitions has helped turn the sector into a market worth an estimated US$13.2 billion. The reasons behind this were outlined during Eurosatory 2026, as other countries embark on the early stages of procuring this capability.
