Denmark’s military is seeking to restart the country’s Fighter Replacement Program (FRP) in a bid to acquire a more advanced stealth fighter jet than the air force’s existing F-16 aircraft.
The move follows a review of front-line fighter capability conducted by the Danish Armed Forces Command (AFC) and the participation of six F-16s in the Nato mission in Libya.
The AFC wants Danish pilots to fly next-generation stealth fighters with greater firepower in international missions over hostile airspace and to have an equal footing with the US and France.
Denmark’s Tactical Air Command head Major General Henrik Robøe Dam said air force participation in overseas missions would benefit from having access to a next-generation stealth fighter.
“There is no doubt that if we had the availability of a fighter with stealth characteristics, and difficult to track by radar, it would be a comfort-enhancing factor for pilots,” Dam said.
The Danish government postponed plans to proceed with the FRP a year ago, saying it would revisit the project by 2012, according to Defense News.
