The United States government has authorized the sale of new AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to equip the Royal Danish Air Force’s F-35A stealth fighters. This was disclosed in one of the most recent notifications issued by the U.S. Department of State to Congress, approving the operation under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program and valued at US$ 730 million.
As of today, Denmark continues advancing its combat aviation modernization with the incorporation of new fifth-generation F-35 fighters destined to replace its current F-16s — the latter being transferred to Ukraine and, more recently, completing the delivery of the first six F-16AM/BM aircraft to Argentina. Copenhagen has also launched negotiations, following parliamentary agreements, to acquire an additional batch of stealth combat aircraft.
It should also be noted that Denmark has submitted consecutive requests to acquire air-to-air armament for its fighter fleet, including requests for short-range AIM-9X Block II missiles last November and for medium/long-range AIM-120D-3 missiles in October; the latter being the most modern variants operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and reserved for sale and export to select allies.
Thus, as stated in the December 5 authorization, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) detailed that the Danish government requested the purchase of two hundred (200) AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), along with three (3) guidance sections. RTX Corporation is listed as the contractor for the package, which also includes services and additional spare parts, with a total value of US$ 730 million.
The U.S. Department of State noted: “The proposed sale will enhance Denmark’s ability to meet current and future threats by ensuring it has modern and effective air-to-air munitions. This sale will further strengthen the already high level of interoperability between the Royal Danish Air Force and U.S. Joint Forces, as well as other regional and NATO forces. Denmark will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its Armed Forces.”
Finally, it should be noted that the Danish government has been submitting various requests and purchasing batches of AIM-120C-8 missiles to strengthen its stockpiles and increase their availability rate. This includes previous requests dating back to June 2024 for a total of 84 units.
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