Acting Defense Secretary Troels Lund Poulsen says replacement fighter F-35 will enter service by 2025
Published Date – Mon 6/26/23 11:00pm
Copenhagen: The Danish government said on Monday that training of Ukrainian pilots for F-16 fighter jets had begun and that the Scandinavian nation’s retirement of its aging U.S. fighter jet fleet was brought forward by two years.
Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the replacement fighter, the F-35, would enter service in 2025. The switchover was initially planned for 2027.
Lund Poulsen said that NATO member Denmark “has taken steps to start training and continuing education for Ukrainian pilots.” frame,” he said.
Lund Poulsen told Danish broadcaster DR that Ukrainian pilots had to undergo six to eight months of training before becoming a reality for the possible donation of Danish F-16s.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t make decisions in advance. But (the F-16s) will stay in Denmark until 2024,” Lund Poulsen said.
Denmark ordered 27 F-35A fighter jets, which will replace the more than 40-year-old F-16 fighter jets, of which Denmark has 30 combat aircraft.
The conversion of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter will take place from late 2023 to late 2025.
Ukraine has long asked Western fighter jets to help it defend against a full-scale Russian invasion that begins in February 2022.
The United States and other NATO countries were initially reluctant but recently agreed to allow Ukrainian pilots to train on the F-16 fighter jets, but have not yet committed to handing over any aircraft.
