Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and the Danish Ministry of Defence have successfully completed a live demonstration showcasing the F-35’s interoperability capabilities.
This event marks another milestone in a series of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) demonstrations, which showcase the F-35’s role as a “powerful force multiplier”.
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It also allows allied forces to swiftly deploy interconnected systems across the battlespace.
Danish Air Chief major general Jan Dam said: “This marked a significant milestone toward enhancing Denmark’s capabilities, as it enabled our MDO staff to witness in real-time the potential of the F-35’s ability to collect, analyse and share advanced data across geographically dispersed networks.
“Our close collaboration with Skunk Works has been instrumental in accelerating the rapid deployment of such capabilities, and we’re very pleased with the results.”
During the demonstration, Danish F-35 jets operating from Fort Worth transmitted classified data through DAGGR-2, an Open Systems Gateway developed by Skunk Works in collaboration with the Missile Defense Agency.
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By GlobalDataThe data was sent via commercial satellite communications and received at Skrydstrup Air Base in Denmark.
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works vice-president and general manager OJ Sanchez said: “This collaboration with the Danish MOD enabled us to do what we do best at Skunk Works – rapidly deploy ready-now capabilities at a pace unparalleled in the industry and prove it through real-world flights.
“This demonstration builds on our successful track record of collaboration with international partners and defines what truly sets us apart: our commitment to Open Systems Architecture, which enables seamless integration across any platform, sensor, or shooter – regardless of the manufacturer.”
In 2016, Denmark announced decision to acquire 27 F-35 aircraft. The first F-35A was delivered to the Royal Danish Air Force in 2021, marking the beginning of a transition from the over four-decade-old F-16s.
The Air Force aims to fully phase out the F-16s by the end of 2025, with the F-35 assuming full rejection preparedness duties.
The Danish F-35 fighter jets were deployed in late March 2025 for rejection preparedness. This included a mission to identify and shadow a suspected Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
Pilots from Fighter Wing Skrydstrup were able to visually confirm the suspect as a Russian IL-20 COOT-A, an aircraft used for surveillance and intelligence gathering.
This deployment signifies the readiness of the Danish F-35s to undertake essential national defence tasks.
