Denmark's acting defense minister has announced that the country may retire its F-16 fighter fleet two years earlier than planned.
"The US F-35 fighter jets can be deployed in phases and become operational earlier than planned," Danish acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced on June 26. "As a result, we can retire the F-16 fighter jets earlier than expected."
Denmark could retire its F-16 fighter jets by 2025, two years earlier than originally planned, Poulsen said. Danish media reported that a document submitted to the country’s parliament earlier said the country’s F-16 fleet was expected to operate until 2027.
Danish F-16 fighter jets participate in NATO exercises in January 2020. Photo: Reuters
Denmark and the Netherlands announced in May that they would take the lead in training Ukrainian pilots to operate F-16 fighter jets. Danish officials are finalizing preparations and expect the training program to begin before the fall.
"We also have to consider whether to donate Danish F-16 fighters to Ukraine and in what number," Poulsen said. "However, these F-16 fighters will remain in Denmark until 2024."
The Danish Air Force operates 43 F-16 fighters, about 30 of which are operational. Denmark has ordered the fifth-generation F-35 fighter to replace the F-16, the first of which was delivered in August 2021.
The F-16 multi-role fighter jet, developed by General Dynamics since the 1970s, is used by the US and its allies. Each F-16 costs around $30-35 million depending on the variant, but customers can pay more or less depending on the number of orders, economic and political conditions and other factors.
The F-16 can reach a maximum speed of 2,121 km/h at an altitude of 12,000 m, a maximum ceiling of 18,000 m with a range of 546 km. The F-16 is equipped with a 20 mm 6-barrel cannon, 11 hardpoints that can carry 7.7 tons of weapons.
Nguyen Tien (According to AFP )
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