A new controversy has just erupted over the Lockheed-Martin F-35 "Lightning II" combat aircraft program. This takes place at a European customer in Denmark and concerns cost issues and the reduction of the country's future combat capability.
Not enough planes and too expensive:
According to the National Audit Office, the Danish Ministry of Defense has been too optimistic to calculate what F-35 fighters will be able to do, for example, in terms of flying hours. The 27 Lockheed-Martin F-35A will simply not be able to compensate in terms of minimum staffing the current fleet of 44 F-16s.
At the same time, there is a significant risk that the total cost of the acquisition will exceed $ 66 billion over the entire program life of 30 years.
For the Danish Air Force, a future fleet of 27 F-35s would not solve the promised tasks and Denmark will end up with a weaker Air Force than today.
According to Copenhagen University professor of international politics Ole Wæver, Denmark may be forced to buy more fighter jets or reduce the number of tasks. Defense expert Peter Viggo Jakobsen of the Defense Academy criticizes the Defense Ministry for "backing off" to ensure that the F-35 can win the competition on two other competing aircraft.
Recall :
It was in May 2016 that the Ministry of Defense and the Government of Denmark recommended the selection of the Lockheed-Martin F-35A "Lightning II" as a future combat aircraft for the country. This decision follows a reassessment. The final decision was announced by Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Defense Minister Peter Christensen. Three aircraft were involved, the Airbus DS Eurofighter, the Boeing F / A-18 E / F "Super Hornet" and the Lockheed-Martin F-35.
Photo: The F-35 is supposed to replace the F-16 in Denmark @ Lockheed Martin.
img credz: pixabay.com
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