Farewell to the F-16: Denmark Retires a Legend as Arctic Tensions Rise

Today marks the final day in service for the Royal Danish Air Force’s (RDAF) Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons after a storied 46-year operational history encompassing air defence, NATO missions, combat deployments, and Arctic sovereignty patrols.

At a formal ceremony held at Skrydstrup Air Base, Denmark bid farewell to an aircraft that has been central to its air power since 1980, closing a chapter in military aviation and transitioning fully to the F-35A Lightning II as its frontline fighter.

Across its service life, Denmark operated 77 F-16s. As part of the retirement process:

🇺🇦 19 aircraft have been donated to Ukraine to support its defence against Russian aggression.

🇦🇷 24 jets have been sold to Argentina; deliveries continue as part of that transfer.

The remaining jets have either been decommissioned or were lost in accidents over decades of service.

This transition underscores not only Denmark’s modernization but also how ageing platforms are redistributed within the global aviation ecosystem.

Arctic Geopolitics: Greenland and Rising Tensions with the U.S.

The retirement of the F-16 occurs against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tension between Denmark and the United States over Greenland — an autonomous Arctic territory that remains part of the Danish realm and central to Nordic security.

In early 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump reignited controversy by publicly asserting that the United States should acquire Greenland, allegedly “one way or the other,” citing its strategic location facing Russia and China. These comments sparked diplomatic friction between Copenhagen and Washington. 

Denmark’s government has firmly rejected any proposal to cede sovereignty over Greenland, emphasising that the U.S. does not need ownership of the territory to contribute to Arctic defence, and asserting that any such idea is “out of the question” under international law. 

In response to rising uncertainty and to reinforce Arctic readiness, Denmark has expanded its military presence in Greenland — deploying additional forces, aircraft patrols, and conducting exercises in close cooperation with NATO allies. 

This buildup is part of Operation Arctic Endurance, a Danish-led NATO activity focused on strengthening allied interoperability and deterrence in one of the world’s most challenging operational environments. 

A NATO Strain?

What makes the current situation unusual is that this tension is unfolding within NATO itself. While NATO has historically served as a platform for collective defence in the Arctic, differing interpretations between Denmark and the United States — particularly around Greenland’s future and strategic role — have introduced strains in transatlantic cooperation not seen in decades. 

Demonstrations in Denmark and Greenland underscore widespread public opposition to claims of divestiture or foreign acquisition of the territory. 

The F-16 Legacy and Denmark’s Strategic Future

Denmark’s F-16s were more than an airframe — they were a flexible tool of national and alliance deterrence for nearly half a century. They flew Baltic Air Policing missions, participated in overseas combat operations, and conducted sovereignty patrols in the Arctic. Their retirement consolidates Denmark’s transition to the fifth-generation F-35A, a platform central to future air operations in Europe and the North Atlantic.

At the same time, geopolitical realities in the High North — where airpower, maritime security, and alliance cohesion intersect — continue to evolve rapidly. The RDAF’s F-16s may be gone, but the region they helped secure remains a pivotal arena for strategic competition and alliance diplomacy.

Denmark postpones the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine due to the Ukrainian pilots' lack of readiness.

Denmark, alongside the Netherlands, had committed to sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to aid in their defense against Russia's invasion, starting from February 2022. However, Denmark now plans to deliver these F-16s to Ukraine in the third quarter of 2024. The delay is attributed to various factors, including the readiness of Ukrainian pilots, logistical sufficiency, and infrastructure requirements for aircraft maintenance in Ukraine.

According to reports, the training of Ukrainian pilots to operate F-16s is ongoing. The United States estimates that more Ukrainian pilots may be prepared to operate the aircraft by late summer 2024. Denmark and Belgium remain dedicated to training Ukrainian pilots, utilizing their F-16s in training centers situated in Denmark. Some Ukrainian pilots are actively flying F-16s in Danish airspace, while others are undergoing training in the United Kingdom, starting with English language instruction.

Both Denmark and Belgium are expecting the delivery of their new fleets of F-35s, aiming to replace their aging fleets of F-16s. However, delays in the integration of TR-3 into Block 4 of the combat aircraft in the United States have postponed the delivery of these fifth-generation fighters.

USA clears the transfer of 24 F-16s from Denmark to Argentina

The letter of approval for the transfer of F-16 aircraft from Denmark to Argentina was handed over on October 11 by Mira Resnick, who serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Security in the State Department, to Jorge Argüello, Argentina's ambassador to the United States. This news was reported by local media.

'Today @StateDeptPM’s Mira Resnick 🇺🇸 delivered a letter to @JorArguello approving the transfer of F-16 aircraft from Denmark to Argentina. The transfer reaffirms our close defense ties and steadfast support for Argentina’s air force modernization efforts. 

“The United States gave the green light to a sale of 24 F-16 fighter aircraft equipped with air-to-air missiles from Denmark to Argentina and is working on a financing package for 40 million dollars to facilitate the purchase by the government Argentina, an operation of enormous geopolitical impact in which Washington competes directly with China, which has offered the sale of JF-17 aircraft from Pakistan.

Argentinian Government must now decide whether to carry out this operation, whether to accept China’s offer, or whether to postpone any decision to modernize the Air Force and Navy fleet. In addition to the F-16 sale, the US government also paved the way for a purchase of four P-3 aircraft from Norway.”

Resnick made it clear that the transfer does not require consent from the United Kingdom, which has upheld a veto on Argentina's acquisition of military gear ever since the Falklands War.

 

Argentina Starts Evaluating US-Origin F-16 Fighting Falcons In Denmark

A top delegation of the Argentine Air Force is reportedly in Denmark to evaluate second-hand F-16s. The South American nation appears to have postponed the technical evaluation of India’s Tejas Light combat aircraft (LCA).

Along with the Danish alternative, Argentina is also considering the Chinese-built JF-17 Thunder and India’s Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL) Tejas aircraft. 

The delegation consisted of experts and technicians that went to the European nation to assess the offered aircraft.

Technical teams and experts are currently researching and reviewing bids from China, India, and Denmark. The F-16 A/B MLU aircraft is proposed to Argentina under the joint efforts of Copenhagen and Washington. 

Previously, there were speculations that Argentina had finalized the Chinese JF-17 for its Air Force during the pandemic. 

Reports claimed that China had sent a few JF-17 jets to Argentina for evaluation. In response to this preemptive news, the United States reportedly pressured Argentina to abandon the deal. 

China would have gained a foothold in America’s backyard had the deal been approved. Since then, it appears Washington has been attempting to sell the Argentine Air Force used Danish fighter jets. 

Meanwhile, India has also aggressively promoted its Tejas light combat aircraft to the South American nation. According to sources familiar with the subject, the top defense authorities from Argentina frequently brought their best pilots along when they visited HAL facilities in India to inspect the LCA Tejas. 

Buenos Aires purportedly asked for another round to test the homegrown fighter plane, but HAL postponed it until sometime in 2023. An Argentine mission led by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chief of Argentina, General Juan Paleo, visited India’s DefExpo 2022. 

Previously, a high-level delegation from HAL also visited Argentina, demonstrating India’s effort and Argentina’s interest. 

Argentina’s Internal Challenges

Buenos Aires has been struggling to modernize its air force. Following the Falklands War, the United Kingdom put a complete embargo on exports of defense hardware to Argentina. 

eurasiantimes 

USAF B-1s fly to Baltics to train with Danish fighters

Two B-1B Lancer bombers flew from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to the Baltic region Tuesday to take part in a Bomber Task Force mission and train with the Danish air force.
In a Wednesday release, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa said that the pair of B-1s, from Ellsworth’s 28th Bomb Wing, conducted integration and interoperability training with Danish F-16s over Bornholm Island, which is in the Baltic Sea and is part of Denmark.
The bombers also flew over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and helped Estonian joint terminal attack controllers practice close air support on the long-range, long-duration mission.
airforcetimes

Denmark Further Postpones Fighter Selection Until 2016

The Danish government continues to grapple with funding issues around the estimated $4.5 billion Fighter Replacement Program (FRP).
Progress in the FRP has also been complicated by rising development costs and technical problems relating to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning 11, which along with Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet and the Eurofighter consortium’s Typhoon, is one of three short-listed candidate aircraft in the Danish competition.
That the Ministry of Defense has seen three different ministers come and go in the past two years, with political oversight for the FRP moving from Nicolai Wammen to Carl Holst and to the present minister, Peter Christensen, has also been a contributing factor in extending the decision-making process.
Christensen has told the Parliamentary Defense Committee (PDC) there will be no announcement on aircraft selection until all funding issues have been resolved and the government finalizes a finance plan.
This Danish government is set to announce a selection in the first quarter of 2016.
The three competitors have 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.
However, economic uncertainty and tougher public spending cuts have reduced Denmark’s appetite for higher budgets and lowered its ambitions regarding the number of aircraft to be acquired.
defensenews

Lockheed unveils MH-60R helicopter for Denmark Navy

Representatives from the U.S. Navy, Danish Royal Air Force and Sikorsky gathered at Lockheed Martin in Owego on Thursday to unveil the first MH-60R helicopter to be delivered to the Danish Royal Air Force.
The MH-60R's will replace Denmark's current fleet of maritime helicopters, which are used in the harsh elements of Greenland and the Baltic Seas for anti-piracy missions, search and rescue, trade regulation and surface combat missions.
The helicopter is one of nine MH-60R aircraft that will be delivered to the Danish Royal Air Force between now and the end of 2018.
pressconnects

Denmark's first MH-60R helicopters prepare for delivery

Denmark is one step closer to becoming the second international customer to have the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk helicopter in its inventory. The first two aircraft arrived at Lockheed Martin’s Owego, New York facility for digital cockpit and integrated mission systems and sensors installation July 9 and are anticipated to be delivered to the Navy later this year.
navair.navy

Royal Denmark Air force planning Challenger 604 mid-life upgrade

The Royal Danish Air Force is preparing to embark on a mid-life upgrade of its Bombardier Challenger 604 maritime patrol aircraft, which is expected to be implemented by 2018.
The four-strong fleet of Danish 604s will receive a series of modifications including a new downlink and a multirole radar capable of carrying out surface surveillance, weather monitoring and oil slick detection, as well as a new cockpit to the Challenger 605 standard.
A new aircraft is not on the cards due to the requirement for a new fighter to replace Denmark’sF-16s.
Of the four 604s in the air force’s inventory, three are currently utilised in the MPA role and one in a VIP and transport configuration.
flightglobal

Sweden, NATO report Russian military planes over Baltic Sea

The Swedish Air Force and NATO jets on Tuesday tracked two Russian Tu-22M3 and two Su-27 aircraft flying with their transponders turned off over the Baltic Sea.
NATO scrambled Danish jets and Italian jets based in Lithuania early Tuesday to identify the Russian aircraft which were heading to the Russian Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.
The Russian military aircraft did not use their onboard transponder; they were not in contact with civilian Air Traffic Control and they were not on a pre-filed flight plan.
Swedish Foreign Minister said it was "unacceptable" for the Russian planes to be flying with shut-off transponders that are necessary for identifying aircraft on radar, calling it violation of international aviation rules.
NATO and Sweden, have reported an increase in Russian air maneuvers over the Baltic Sea in recent years.
stripes

Russia threatens to aim nuclear missiles at Denmark ships if it joins NATO shield

Russia threatened to aim nuclear missiles at Danish warships if Denmark joins NATO's missile defense system, in comments Copenhagen called unacceptable and NATO said would not contribute to peace.
Denmark said in August it would contribute radar capacity on some of its warships to the missile shield, which the Western alliance says is designed to protect members from missile launches from countries like Iran.
Moscow opposes the system, arguing that it could reduce the effectiveness of its own nuclear arsenal, leading to a new Cold War-style arms race.
No missiles are to be placed on Danish soil under the NATO program, but they could be deployed some day in Greenland.
Denmark's foreign minister said Russia's comments were unacceptable.
reuters

Russian Military Jet Nearly Collides With Swedish SAS Passenger Plane

Swedish defense officials have said a Russian military aircraft nearly collided south of Sweden with a commercial passenger plane shortly after takeoff from Copenhagen, Denmark, on December 12.
Sweden's air force chief, Major General Micael Byden, said the Russian warplane's transponders -- which make the plane detectable to commercial radar -- were shut off.
Swedish Defense Minister called the incident "serious" and "inappropriate," although he added the Russian plane had not violated Swedish air space.
"This is outright dangerous when you turn off the transponder," Hultqvist told Swedish radio.
Both Danish and Swedish jet fighters were scrambled in response to the incident, which comes amid heightened tensions between the West and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.
Russia's Defense Ministry denied any of its warplanes had violated Swedish airspace on December 12.
Quoted by TASS, Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said the Russia aircraft's flight had been made "in compliance with international air space rules, not violating borders of other countries and at a safe distance from traffic routes of civilian aircraft."
The commercial plane was reportedly flying to Poland, but it was unclear which airline was operating the flight or how many passengers were on board.
In March, a Russian military jet flying without transponders came within 100 meters of an SAS plane that had taken off from Copenhagen.
On December 11, Polish Defense Minister said Russia's military is engaging in an unprecedented amount of activity around the Baltic Sea.
The minister said that Poland, a member of NATO, was not under threat of attack and the Russian maneuvers were most likely designed to test how NATO forces in the region reacted.
The report by the European Leadership Network detailed almost 40 dangerous or sensitive incidents over the past eight months, including what it says was the near-collision of a Russian spy plane and an SAS jet carrying 132 passengers from Copenhagen to Rome on March 3.
rferl

Two F-16 Netherlands fighters intercept Russian plane over Baltic Sea

Two Dutch F16 fighter jets, part of a NATO force patrolling the skies above the Baltic states, intercepted a Russian Ilyushin transport aircraft flying near Estonian and Lithuanian air space, the Netherlands said on Thursday.
After the interception, which took place late on Wednesday, the Ilyushin flew off in the direction of the Russian city of Kaliningrad, russian exclave sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania, both NATO members as are the other two Baltic states Estonia and Latvia.
The Dutch defence ministry said in a statement the Ilyushin had been flying in international air space but had been intercepted when it approached the air space of the two countries without filing a flight plan.
It said the plane did not intrude into their air space as an earlier ministry statement had said.
Russia's defence ministry also made clear the plane had remained in international air space.
Last month, NATO said it had conducted more than 100 intercepts of Russian aircraft this year, about three times as many as in 2013, amid sharply increased tensions between the West and Moscow over the Ukraine crisis.
The Western military alliance has recently reported increased levels of Russian military activity in the skies above the Baltic Sea. Last month, Norway scrambled F-16s to track four Russian bombers.
President Vladimir Putin has committed to reinvigorating Russia's armed forces, which had been undermined by the economic troubles that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. He denies any aggression towards NATO.
Members of the U.S.-led NATO alliance have stepped up their vigilance since the Ukraine crisis erupted earlier this year.
On Thursday the defence ministers of Britain, the three Baltic states and four Nordic countries - NATO members Norway and Denmark and neutral Finland and Sweden - agreed to step up cooperation on intelligence and air force training to counter Moscow's increased activity in northern Europe.
reuters

NATO Fighters scrambled as Russian spy plane violates Estonian air space

A Russian intelligence aircraft briefly crossed into NATO airspace earlier this week, NATO said Wednesday.
The NATO’s radars detected an unidentified plane flying near NATO airspace in the Baltic Sea at about 9 a.m. CET on Tuesday. Danish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled, as were Portuguese F-16s that were part of NATO’s air policing mission over the Baltics. They were assisted by fighters from Sweden.
The Russian plane, an IL-20 intelligence collection aircraft, took off from Kaliningrad and flew over the Baltic Sea toward Denmark, NATO said, and it was met by aircraft from the three nations. As the IL-20 turned and headed south, it began approaching the airspace of Estonia, a NATO member.
The Russian aircraft entered Estonian airspace near the island of Saaremaa for less than one minute, an incursion of about 600 meters, NATO said. Portuguese F-16s made visual contact with the IL-20 and escorted it away from NATO airspace.
Russian officials denied the assertion. The Russian Defense Ministry told local news agencies that the plane had not violated Estonian airspace and was on a routine training mission from Kaliningrad in international airspace.
It’s standard procedure for NATO planes to scramble and intercept any unknown aircraft that approach NATO airspace. The Alliance said in a statement Wednesday that such flights are potentially dangerous, because Russian military planes often don't file flight plans or use their onboard transponders, leaving civilian air traffic control operators unable detect them or ensure they don't interfere with civilian air traffic.
wsj

Danish F-16s carry out first mission against Isis

Danish F-16 fighter jets participated in their first mission over northern Iraq on Thursday,according the Defence Ministry.
Two Danish jets took part in an American-led mission to engage Isis forces in Iraq and obtained useful information to be used by coalition forces.
The Danish parliament approved the military mission in Iraq on October 2nd, and the Danish jets arrived at the Ahmed Al Jaber base in Kuwait on October 5th. The Danish jets were kept grounded until Thursday due to the lack of permission from Kuwaiti authorities to use the country’s airspace. .
Denmark has contributed a total of seven F-16s to the coalition efforts against Isis: four operational jets and three in reserve. Accompanying the jets is a crew of up to 140 people.
thelocal.dk

Denmark maritime patrol aircraft joins Operation Ocean Shield

A Challenger (CL-604) maritime patrol aircraft from the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) is currently supporting NATO's counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield Task Force 508 (CTF-508).
The Danish aircraft is stationed in the Seychelles with aircrew and 21-strong support team.
This is the fourth time the Royal Danish Air Force is participating in the counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia. The aircraft is equipped with radar to conduct surveillance over sea as well as an infrared and optical camera to collect intelligence about Somali pirates’ activities.
defenceweb

Denmark’s deployment of F-16s to fight ISIL blocked by opposition parties

The deployment of the Danish F-16 fighter jets has been delayed after opposition parties Konservative and Venstre blocked the vote to deploy, demanding clarity on Danes travelling to fight in Syria and Iraq on behalf of Islamic State (IS).
cphpost.dk

Denmark to send seven F-16s to fight IS group in Iraq

Denmark will send seven F-16 fighter jets to help combat IS militants in Iraq, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said on Friday.
The Danish fighter jets would not join US planes in bombing targets in Syria.
The decision to take part in the campaign in Iraq is expected to receive the support of a majority in parliament and the F-16s could be dispatched next week.
news.yahoo.com

Fix Decided on For F-16 Cracks

The US Air Force and Lockheed Martin have reached agreement on a fix for a series of cracks impacting F-16B and D fleets around the world.
The fix involves attaching steel and aluminum straps to the front fuselage area.
The cracks in question are on the canopy sill longeron, part of the frame of the aircraft that surrounds the cockpit area of the jet. Cracks were first discovered on an F-16D model on July 31, and the service ordered inspections of the entire F-16D fleet. That resulted in 82 of the service’s 157 F-16D models being grounded.
According to initial Air Force figures, the largest number of cracked F-16D models were at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where all 35 planes were found to have cracks.
That inspection order also applies to the F-16B and F-16D models used internationally. More than 150 F-16B and 400 F-16D models are operating around the world.
While the US Air Force no longer operates the B model, Turkey, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Denmark and Norway are among customers that must inspect their fleets.
defensenews

Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Announce Bids on Danish Fighter Competition; Saab Withdraws

Airbus, Boeing and Lockheed Martin have submitted bids to replace the Royal Danish Air Force’s F-16 combat jet fleet but Saab has withdrawn from the competition.
A decision on the long-running effort to acquire a replacement for the F-16s is expected next year.
Airbus Defence and Space with the Typhoon, Boeing with the F/A-18E/F and Lockheed with the F-35 said they had lodged bids.
Denmark has been a partner on the F-35 for a number of years and Danish industry has already been the recipient of a series of work programs on the combat jet, making Lockheed the long-time favorite to secure the deal.
defensenews