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Denmark - Air Force / Flyvertaktisk Kommando - History

Pilot training for both the Army and Navy air arms began in 1911. The Army Air Corps and Naval Air Service were officially established and their first aeroplanes delivered in 1912. The Danish Army Air Corps and the Danish Naval Air Service were established in 1912 and in 1950 they were amalgamated into the Royal Danish Air Force.

Developments in Denmark followed the development in other countries. The British Royal Flying Corps and Naval Air Service were also established in 1912. Limitations in aircraft performance and the radios of the day dictated that air missions were flown in close coordination with and in support of army and naval forces. That did not imply, however, that air operations were limited to Denmark. The Naval Air Service operated in Greenland as a matter of routine in connection with aerial survey missions.

Just as Switzerland and Holland built up their air services as a precaution when the Great War began to spread along their borders, so did neutral Denmark increase its military presence in the air. Located on the northern border of Germany, Denmark had a very long coastline, so the Marinens Flyvevæsen, or Danish Naval Air Service was ordered to protect Danish shipping and to keep an eye on the Baltic and North Sea to prevent incursions.

The Navy had two seaplanes which were French-designed Donnet-Leveques, called Maagen F.B.Is, (Maagen translates as Sea Gull) and were in use by the Danish Navy starting in 1913. Consequently, the day after the war broke out, the Naval High Command ordered air surveillance using these two over the waters between Sweden and Denmark where German naval mine laying activity was going on. War meant purchases of materials from the countries engaged in fighting ground to a halt.

1920 – 1950

Danish military aviation followed the international technical developments fairly well through the years. A small country, there were limits to how specialized it could allow itself to be. It is important to have flexible and versatile materiel and equipment that may be used for different roles and missions. Denmark never had strategic bombers, armed helicopters or electronic warfare aircraft.

Denmark has followed the technological development when it came to the fighters and fighter bombers in the inventory all the way back from the inter-war years. Just before the Second World War a technological leap with the advent of modern fighter planes like the Spitfire and Messerschmidt 109 took to the skies. Biplanes were suddenly out of fashion, if not obsolte.

But the British Royal Air Force, when the concept of the Spitfire was first presented to them, chose to buy the Gloster Gladiator, the most modern and best performing biplane at that time. Equipped wit the open-cockpit version of the Gladiator, the Gauntlet, the Danish Army Air Corps was up there with the best (numbers were a different matter of course). When Nazi-Germany attacked Denmark in May 1940 the Gladiators and other Danish planes did not help much. They were hopelessly outnumbered and outperformed by the Luftwaffe.

The Second World War had an enormous impact on the development of air forces across the world. In addition to the traditional direct support to land and maritime operations aircraft were employed in an independent strategic role. With the development of the jet engine, aircraft obtained a speed and range that made it possible to deliver an effect over large distances in a short time and the new role of the aircraft. This led to the establishment of separate air forces in most countries.

1950 – 1955

That happened in Denmark in 1950 when the Army Air Corps and the Naval Air Service were amalgamated into the Royal Danish Air Force. after the liberation there was a consensus to merge the limited resources for an independent "Luftvaaben". "Act No. 242 of the armed forces System ", adopted 27. May 1950, constituted the formal basis for the air force's creation in October 1950 as a stand-alone service.

Danish military aviation entered the jet age in 1949 only 5 years after the world’s first jet aircraft entered operational service. After becoming a member of NATO Denmark received a large number of military aircraft and other equipment from the USA under the Military Air Program from 1951 onwards. The aircraft were not necessarily the best of the best when delivered but through ingenuity and cunning the Royal Danish Air Force personnel managed to squeeze maximum performance and effect out of the aircraft. Time and time again Danish personnel came up with novel solutions to old problems, impressing both foreign air forces and industries.

Initially the squadron commanders were young and inexperienced, and had only a limited knowledge of the new aircraft equipment (Gloster Meteor and Republic F-84 Thunderjet), which were received a significant numbersfrom 1950. The conduct exercises in the following time led a large number of fatal accidents.

On July 7, 1954 the English Air Chief Marshal, Hugh Saunders, was employed as an advisor, and in the following time he worked on identifying an organizational form that could solve the identified problems. The problems had made itself felt in particular by the huntreskadrillerne in Jutland, and 15 March 1955 was established "The air force tactical command" (Ftk) to substitute for the two Regional commands.

The staff immediately went about to review regulations to limit irregular flight and thus curb the many accidents and flight events, by placing the emphasis on flight safety. This focus on professionalism over time came to permeate the air force's efforts.

1955 – 1960

The air force carried out supply-and relief as a result of a number of international flights, including the Suez Crisis (Gaza), Hungary-crisis and earthquake disaster in Aagadir. The air force took a number of photo reconnaissance aircraft, including the Republic RF-84F thunderflash, BLIC fighter aircraft of the types Hawker North american F-86 d Hunter and sabre, as well as Lockheed Tt-33a. It created fly-radar stations in Skagen, skrydstrup, Bornholm, Multebjerg and Skovhuse, as well as a "rescue Coordination Center" (rCC) in Karup.

The air force C-47 transport aircraft as six receives weapon use and seven S-55C rescue helicopters. Fly-station Copenhagen qAdecommissioned, and 721 moved to Vaerlose. From 1958 startws delivery of 8 Catalina PBY-6a to replace the 1947 procured a PBYy-5a. at the end of the period the air force received three C-54 Skymaster. The air force also to receive fighter bomber aircraft of the type North american F-100D/F Super Sabre.

1960 – 1970

A new law on defence meant the creation of a unified command (BaLtaP), and as a parallel to the Ftk with staff created airBaLtaP in Nato command the system. The rocket luftforsvaret transferred from the army to FlyvevåbNET, so air defense group saw the light of day 02 July 1962. The Defence laws of 1960 results in addition building of the three helicopter-equipped inspection ships of "White-bear-class ". The Navy acquired in cooperation with the air force (FMk) five helicopters of the type sud Alouette III, which forms part of esk 722.

During the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, Danish forces were at "reinforced alert" and Esk 729 flew recogniseringsmissioner in connection with Russian ships passage of the great belt.

In 1965 eight sikorsky S-61a helicopters were added to in Esq 722, three of which were stationed as SAR-guard on flyvestations in værløse, aalborg and skrydstrup. Flyvevåb- NET also receives new combat aircraft of the types Lockheed F-90G Starfighter and Saab 35XD Draken as replacements for the F-86D, and RF-84F and F-100D.

1970 – 1980

The year 1969 brought a new law on defence that separated from Defence Law of 1960. The new structural change led to the creation of the Defense command and closing of Flyverkommandoen and training command. The head of the air force concluded with a limited staff in the defense, moving to new premises in Winscombe. On 13 November 1970 the service deleted the Catalina-type of Flyvevåbnetwork numbers.

The army's Air Corps was created in 1971, with new helicopters of the type Hughes 500 Cayuse. A change in the law resulted in 1973 in the number of combat aircraft to be reduced to 116, so Hunter Squadron (esk 724) was deleted the following year. Finance Committee approved the purchase of three C-130H Hercules entering during 1975. In the same year one of the new C-130 aircraft was inserted in hostilities in Angola. The Alouette flighten was completely reorganized as an independent Unit, the Navy air service subject to sea Guard operational command in 1977.

1980 – 1990

Again in 1982, the number of fighter aircraft was reduced, with 12 units. at the beginning of the period included general Dynamics F-16 in the air force's number to replacement of the first F-100 and later F-90G. Flight duty injected eight Westland Lynx Mk.80 from 1980, after which the Alouette III helicopters can to be phased out. To replace C-130 in Greenland the air force obtained three Gulfstream G-III.

When the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter was introduced in 1980 Denmark joined the first division. A very advanced aircraft at the time of delivery, continuous update programs ensured that it was still fully operationally capable decades later. With the C-130J Hercules transport aircraft and the EH101 Merlin medium lift helicopter the same applied to the transport and helicopter areas.

Equipment aside, the greatest strength of the Royal Danish Air Force was the commitment and fertility of invention with which personnel who solved their tasks over the first 100 years of Danish military flying. They will also ensure that Danish military aviation will remain relevant and effective.

1990 – 2000

On 09 November 1989 the GDR opens for free passage to West Germany, the Berlin wall fell immediately and a new world order was initiated. At the end of 1990 a new organization of the armed forces top management stepped up efforts by which functional area as "Inspector of the air force" with the staff being axed and replaced by a system, which requires a number of management-Ftk related tasks.

On 01 January 1992 decommissioned Esq 725, and Draken aircraft transferred to esk 729. a C-130 submitted in July to NatO in connection with the besieged city of Sarajevo. In 1993, decommissioned air base avnø, and Flight school transferred to air station karup. In addition, Esk 729 was decommissioned the end of the year, and the Draken aircraft saga hereby passed by.

The Decade's most sad event occured 03 August 1996, when G-III, nr. F-330 crashed at the Vagar airport on the Faroe Islands. Crew and passengers are killed, including the newly appointed Chief of defence staff, Admiral H.J. Garde. As the successor, Lieutenant-General Christian Hvidt, was appointed to the rank of general and appointed as Chief of defence staff.

In January 1999, four of the air force's F-16 aircraft were stationed on the Italian base grazzanise North of Naples. From here the Danish aircraft participating in NATO's bombardment of targets in kosovo and Serbia, including the Serbian air force headquarters in Belgrade and the military airfield in Batajnca.

2000 – 2010

25 May 2000 concluded that a political agreement on the air force scheme for the period 2000-2004. The air force's part, given the impact that Vaerlose air decommissioned and Squadron 721 transferred to air base ålborg, while Squadron 722 transferred to air station karup. This allowed all the armed forces ' helicopter types gather in three devices on the Flyvestation Karup, and all fighters gather at air base Skrydstrup.

The air force's contribution to international operations included postings of both fighter and transports. In connection with the operations in Afghanistan C-130 planes were based in Kyrgyzstan and Kabul along with, among other things, Norwegian and Dutch C-130 aircraft. The shifts also included loss of Air Defense Group and the restructuring of the control and early warning service to an Air Control Wing.

The creation of a Combat Support Wing had the aim to provide a platform for the training of personnel, who is part of the support element that must guide the Afghan armed forces. Finally, the responsibility for the operation of the three air bases in Aalborg, Denmark, Karup and Skrydstrup were released for Military construction. The air force's operational units on the three aerodromes are termed respectively, Air Transport Wing, Helicopter Wing, and Fighter Wing.