The Royal Danish Air Force has formally concluded operations of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, retiring the aircraft after more than four decades of continuous service. The milestone was marked by a farewell ceremony at Skrydstrup Air Base, where the aging fourth-generation fighters carried out their final flights before being replaced by the F-35A Lightning II.
Over its 46-year service life, the F-16 formed the backbone of Denmark’s combat aviation capabilities. Danish pilots flew the aircraft on NATO missions and overseas combat deployments, including operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and the Balkans, while also supporting airspace protection missions over Greenland and Iceland.
Rather than fully retiring the fleet, Denmark has chosen to redistribute its remaining F-16s to allied partners. Several aircraft have been transferred to Ukraine to aid its ongoing defense against Russian aggression, while Argentina has purchased 24 aircraft, with the first jet delivered late last year as part of Buenos Aires’ fighter modernization effort.
Denmark’s future combat airpower will be centered on a fleet of 43 F-35A stealth fighters, replacing the F-16 in both air defense and strike roles. The first four aircraft arrived in September 2023, and by April 2025, the F-35 was declared ready to conduct air interception missions alongside the F-16. With full fleet deliveries expected by 2026, Copenhagen aims to achieve full operational capability by 2027, providing enhanced stealth, sensor fusion, and networked warfare capabilities for modern, multi-domain threats.
