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Danish Fighter Replacement Program

Denmark was to choose among the F-35, F-18 Super Hornet, and the Tyhoon to replace its aging fleet of F-16s). Norway's decision could be influential for Denmark's decision. Denmark's ongoing competition for a follow-on fighter aircraft was a potential issue which may be affected by Nordic Defense cooperation (NDC). Denmark had been the least active of the Nordic countries on NDC. This stemmed from a different political outlook, resistance to the idea of cooperation with Sweden and possibly even to Norway's FM personal dislike of Denmark's FM.

Denmark appeared to have structured its defense to prioritize cooperation with the US, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany. Denmark was also an awkward partner within the EU, as its EU defense "opt-out" precluded it from taking part in ESDP military (but not civilian) missions with other EU member states.

Denmark's government tends to be less focused on the Nordic region, making Nordic cooperation less appealing to the Danes and cooperation with Denmark less appealing to other Nordics. When it looks northward these days, Danish security policy is more likely to be focused on the Danish territory of Greenland. The Danes convened a conference of polar states to tamp down what they saw as an increasingly competitive streak in the Arctic, punctuated by the Russian flag planting on the North Pole sea bed. The Danes are thus more likely to view Nordic defense issues through a particularly Arctic lens, with an emphasis on more prosaic matters like Arctic search and rescue and protection of sea routes and fishing beds.

The New Fighter Program Office in the Ministry of Defense had no plans to produce a recommendation with regard to the type of combat aircraft Denmark should acquire, nor will it recommend how many should be purchased. That is not its purpose. Rather, its studies will analyze four key areas that have been defined as important to consider before choosing which aircraft to acquire: Danish defence and security objectives, the tactical and operational capabilities of each aircraft, their cost throughout their life cycle, and the ability of Denmark to pursue national security objectives through industrial relations with the manufacturers.

The Danish political decision of 24 March 2010 resulted in the postponement of the Danish Fighter Replacement Program and Type Selection. At that time the candidates were: Boeing - F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin - JSF Joint Strike Fighter, F-35 Lightning II; and the SAAB - Gripen NG, Next Generation. The Danish government was then expected to revisit the FRP by 2012.

As a consequence, the safeguarding of Danish defence industry´s future interest in the project has been restructured. Danish Industry Fighter Aircraft Team (DIFAT) was launched at the founding general assembly on November 11, 2010. DIFAT´s main areas of operation were gathering information on the candidates and opportunities for cooperation with the potential suppliers, and making the information available to the DIFAT membership, setting up events with a view to pursuing opportunities relevant to the Danish Fighter Replacememnt Program and assisting the DIFAT membership in relation to the Danish Fighter Replacement Program whenever possible.

By April 2011 Eurofighter had formally rejoined Denmark's delayed Fighter Replacement Program (FRP) contest, having indicted its intention during a meeting with the Danish legislature's Parliamentary Defense Committee in December 2010.

In March 2013 Eurofighter Typhoon joined the New Danish Combat Aircraft Competition targeted at safeguarding Denmark’s national air defence. Eurofighter CEO, Enzo Casolini, said: "We welcome the invitation of the Danish Government and we are pleased to enter into this international competition. Eurofighter Typhoon is the most advanced new generation combat aircraft that can fulfill the specific Danish requirements, including Arctic surveillance. We are ready to develop a strategic partnership with Denmark and provide opportunities for significant collaboration with Europe’s leading industrial nations.”

On 21 July 2014 Lockheed Martin, Airbus and Boeing submitted binding documents in a tender to supply Denmark with up to 30 fighter jets. The three competitors submitted bids for 24, 30 and 36 aircraft to the MoD's Project Office. Denmark had originally sought bids for up to 48 aircraft to replace the Danish Air Force’s aging F-16s.

Saab did not bid in the tender. SAAB chose to withdraw Gripen out of the Danish combat aircraft as they believed that the F-35 had already won. Submitting binding information to the government is a step in the process of trying to win the tender. Danish politicians were expected to begin discussions on who should win the tender in mid-2015. The purchase of new fighter aircraft with a value of 30 billion crowns is so sensitive that politicians are trying to avoid a public debate.

By mid-2015 a type of selection expected to be taken, and by the year 2020 the first aircraft was scheduled for delivery. Due to the general election no decision was made in the fighter competition on June 30 2015. FAD expect a descision be announced in the fall 2015.

Political involvement in missions carried out warrants a change to military equipment used in conflicts and calls for an attitude change at the operator level. In a political setting where smaller countries actively contribute to military operations to help promote national values and their benefits in international relations, carrying out complex missions with political success has increasing value. As a result of the increasing importance of political aspects in military operations, procurement of military equipment must be thoroughly analysed and update programs must be sustained throughout the lifespan of that equipment for it to maintain its political relevance. Also the mindset of operators must change to make generic doctrine work in a political context.

Elected in June 2015, by December the conservative-liberal Danish government continued to grapple with funding issues for the $4.5 billion Fighter Replacement Program (FRP). The government was set to announce a selection in the first quarter of 2016. The government’s financial solution could reduce the number of fighter aircraft to 24.

The Danish Defense Ministry's special office for procuring new aircraft has delivered a final and comprehensive analysis, approving the purchase of a batch of Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth multirole fighters from the United States, local media said 28 April 2016. The ministry office, which had spent some nine years studying and assessing Denmark's options in renewing its aging fleet of F-16 fighter jets, chosn Lockheed Martin Aeronautics-manufactured aircraft over Boeing's Super Hornet fighters.

The ministry estimates that Denmark needed at least 28 new jets to keep an operational air force. The total cost of the fleet upgrade may come to as much as 100 billion kroner (over $15 billion) per aircraft over the jets' entire 30-year lifespan, including maintenance costs. While the move had been endorsed by most parties in the Danish parliament, its cost had been criticized amid tightened welfare expenditure and reduced growth expectations.