Designed to defeat both existing and emerging threats, the F-35 Lightning II represents a quantum leap in air dominance and international partnership for the Royal Danish Air Force. An aircraft so advanced, it sets new global standards for multi-mission capability and interoperability.
The F-35 is a 5th generation multirole fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. With air forces across the globe flying the same aircraft, the F-35 will position Denmark as an asset to global security, providing a platform for partnership to keep the nation safe and secure for decades to come.
The F-35 is already contributing to meaningful and lasting industrial partnerships in Denmark and internationally. Several Danish companies, such as Terma and Systematic, are currently making parts on every F-35 in production, including pylons, advanced composites, software solutions, radar components and horizontal tail edges. As an official partner of the F-35, Denmark has supported the F-35 from the beginning. However, the legacy of partnership and collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Denmark began long before the F-35 was even in development.
Since the 1970s, Lockheed Martin has partnered with the Danish Ministry of Defense and the defense industry to protect the air space of the United States, Denmark and its allies.
“After more than forty years of partnership with Denmark, I can say that we have a ‘stellar’ relationship,” Lockheed Martin Capture Management Director Yung Le said. “With the F-16 Fighting Falcon, Denmark was able to serve on expeditionary missions and act as a key member of our European Participating Air Forces. Their work on the program has acquired significant clout in the aerospace sector and Danish companies have become very competitive in the global aerospace and defense market.”
Global partnerships and technological innovation are the building blocks of the F-35 program. On June 22, businesses from around the globe gathered at the Danish Air Show in Karup, Denmark, to showcase state-of-the-art technologies, watch flying demonstrations, and discuss technology partnerships.
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Drawing on the aerospace expertise of a global network, the F-35 program has led to unprecedented technology transfer, job creation and innovation. With the creation of jobs comes the need for a skilled workforce. As we look to the future, we see a growing need in our communities to educate and empower our youth to pursue engineering professions. After all, engineers hold almost 60 percent of defense industry positions.
At the Danish Air Show, Lockheed Martin hosted a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) tent to provide children with the opportunity to build their own Lego® F-35 aircraft and meet F-35 test pilots. In addition, college students from local Danish universities showcased their robotics programs to inspire and encourage youth to pursue STEM curriculum.
Through STEM education and future internship opportunities with Danish universities, Lockheed Martin aims to inspire local students to pursue STEM careers now and in the future.
The F-35 continues to demonstrate its global partnerships as it prepares to make its first international debut in the skies over the United Kingdom at the Royal International Air Tattoo and the Farnborough International Airshow later this summer.
