Defense & Military
Denmark Retires F-16 Fleet After 46 Years, Transfers Jets to Ukraine and Argentina
Denmark retires its F-16 fleet after 46 years, transferring aircraft to Ukraine and Argentina as it transitions to the F-35A Lightning II.
This article summarizes reporting by The War Zone.
Denmark Officially Retires F-16 Fleet After 46 Years of Service
On Sunday, January 18, 2026, the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) marked the end of an era by officially retiring its F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. The historic transition took place at Skrydstrup Air Base in southern Jutland, concluding 46 years of continuous operations for the fourth-generation fighter. While the jets have flown their final mission under the Danish flag, they are not destined for the scrapyard; instead, they are being transferred to Ukraine and Argentina to continue their operational lives.
According to reporting by The War Zone, the retirement ceremony featured a final formation flight and the symbolic transfer of air defense duties to the fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II. The event underscores a significant modernization effort within NATO, as member nations transition to stealth platforms while bolstering allies with their well-maintained legacy aircraft.
The Final Farewell at Skrydstrup
The retirement event was attended by thousands of spectators, including Danish Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen and current Air Force Chief Major General Jan Dam. The final official RDAF F-16 landing occurred just before 2:00 PM local time, following a farewell flight by four aircraft that departed the runway in full afterburner.
The War Zone highlights the participation of General Christian Hvidt (Ret.), the former Danish Chief of Defense. Gen. Hvidt was the first Danish pilot to land an F-16 at Skrydstrup in January 1980. In a symbolic closing of the circle, he participated in the final ceremony, and his original 1980 helmet was placed in the cockpit of the last jet to mark the occasion.
A Legacy of Global Operations
Denmark originally acquired 58 F-16s, comprising 46 single-seat A models and 12 two-seat B models, as part of the “Sale of the Century,” a collaborative European procurement program involving Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway. Over nearly half a century, these Military-Aircraft evolved from Cold War defenders of the Baltic Sea to active combatants in modern conflicts.
As detailed in the research data, the Danish F-16 fleet saw active combat deployments in:
- Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom)
- Libya (Operation Odyssey Dawn/Unified Protector)
- Iraq and Syria (Operation Inherent Resolve)
Additionally, the fleet regularly conducted NATO Baltic Air Policing missions, securing the airspace over Estonia and Lithuania.
A “Second Life” in Ukraine and Argentina
Unlike many military retirements where assets are scrapped or stored, the Danish F-16s remain operationally relevant. The fleet has been divided to support two distinct strategic objectives: the defense of Ukraine and the modernization of Argentine air power.
Bolstering Ukraine’s Defense
Denmark has pledged 19 F-16 aircraft to the Ukrainian Air Force. According to Militarnyi and other defense sources, the majority of these aircraft have already been transferred as of January 2026. The first batch arrived in Ukraine in the summer of 2024 and is currently being used for air defense and combat missions against Russian forces. These jets provide a critical capability for contesting airspace and intercepting cruise missiles.
Modernizing Argentina’s Air Force
In a separate deal worth approximately $300–$320 million, Denmark sold 24 F-16s to Argentina. Defense News reported that this agreement was signed in April 2024, with the first aircraft arriving in Argentina in December 2025. This acquisition restores Argentina’s supersonic interceptor capability, a capacity the nation had lacked since retiring its Mirage fleet in 2015.
Transition to the F-35A Lightning II
The retirement of the F-16 coincides with the full operational integration of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. Denmark plans to operate a total of 27 F-35s initially, with long-term plans to increase the fleet to 43 aircraft.
According to Flight Global, the F-35A officially assumed Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties immediately following the F-16’s retirement. While the first F-35s arrived on Danish soil in September 2023, a portion of the fleet remains at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for ongoing pilot training.
AirPro News analysis
The retirement of the Danish F-16 fleet represents a masterclass in lifecycle management. It is rare for a fighter jet to serve for 46 years and still be sought after for active combat duties in high-threat environments like Ukraine. This speaks volumes about the maintenance standards of the Royal Danish Air Force ground crews.
Strategically, this move allows Denmark to leap into the fifth-generation era with the F-35 while simultaneously strengthening NATO’s eastern flank via Ukraine and solidifying diplomatic ties with South America. By transferring these assets rather than scrapping them, Denmark has maximized the geopolitical value of its hardware down to the very last flight hour.
Sources
Photo Credit: Danish Armed Forces