The United States government has authorized the possible sale of new AGM-114R Hellfire missiles to equip the Royal Danish Air Force. The transaction, carried out under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program and valued at US$45 million, was notified days ago by the U.S. Department of State to the U.S. Congress for approval.
As has been reported in recent months, and like other European countries, Denmark has been moving forward with the acquisition of new military equipment in order to renew platforms currently in service with its Armed Forces, as well as to recover and incorporate new capabilities.
This is reflected in the induction of F-35 fighter jets, intended to replace the F-16s that are being transferred to Argentina and Ukraine, with the fleet set to be expanded. Also noteworthy are the ongoing negotiations with the United States for the acquisition of new P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, for which authorization from the Department of State was granted days ago.
In this regard, the incorporation of unmanned aerial platforms should also be highlighted, such as the new MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones, an operation confirmed and formalized toward the end of July 2025. Through the contract signed with the U.S. company, within the framework of the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), the Royal Danish Air Force will be equipped with four new systems to be deployed on surveillance, reconnaissance, and intelligence missions in the North Atlantic and, potentially, in the Arctic, operating under the authority of the Danish Joint Arctic Command.
Against this background, and as reported by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on January 8, the Danish government also requested the purchase of a batch of one hundred (100) new AGM-114R Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. Although it was not specified, it is presumed that these will be intended for use by the future MQ-9B Sky Guardian drones; another possible platform could be the MH-60R helicopters currently in service with the Royal Danish Navy’s 723rd Naval Aviation Squadron, based at Karup Air Base.
The package authorized for the stated value of US$45 million lists Lockheed Martin as the principal contractor and also includes the supply of training missiles, Hellfire M299 missile launchers, containers, documentation, and related support.
Finally, regarding the characteristics of the requested version, the Romeo variant of the AGM-114 Hellfire family is one of the most modern currently in service and in production. As detailed by Lockheed Martin, it combines and consolidates all previous semi-active laser-guided missile variants into a single multi-purpose warhead.
Thanks to this, it can engage a wide range of ground targets, ranging from “…armored vehicles, air defense systems, patrol boats, as well as enemy combatants in buildings, open areas, SUV-type vehicles, or caves,” according to the U.S. company, at distances between 7.1 and 8 kilometers, depending on the type of launch and engagement employed.
*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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