Denmark holds off on buying new fighter jets

Thu, 25 Mar 2010

Copenhagen - Denmark has decided to postpone a decision to buy new fighter jets, the Defense Ministry said Thursday, citing a review that suggested it could extend the lifespan of its current fleet.

Denmark has 48 US-made F-16 fighter jets that according to a new military study could fly at least two years longer than planned, extending their lifespan to 2018 or longer.

The government said it made sense to postpone the decision on selecting a replacement for its aging F-16s, but added that a decision on new fighters would be made under the current national Defense Agreement that covers the period from 2010-2014.

"It has emerged that we can fly the F-16s two to four years longer," Defense Minister Gitte Lillelund Bech said, adding it was "common sense to wait a few years with the (procurement) decision."

Bech has asked the military to analyze how long the F-16s can operate. Denmark was also considering reducing its fleet of fighters from 48 to 30.

The opposition Socialist People's Party and Social Liberals which backed the Defense Agreement welcomed a postponement, citing the economic challenges facing Denmark.

Candidates for the Danish order include the US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) made by Lockheed Martin, Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet, and the Swedish-made Jas 39 Gripen.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/315714,denmark-holds-off-on-buying-new-fighter-jets.html.