The Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) retired its last remaining F-16 Fighting Falcons after nearly five decades of service. Interestingly, the move comes amid increased diplomatic tensions between the US and Denmark over Greenland.
The RDAF F-16 flew into the sunset on January 18, 2026, at Skrydstrup Air Force Station, during a farewell ceremony that saw the fighters fly in formation for the last time.
“We never talk about the age of the F-16 because it has been maintained by probably the world’s best aircraft technicians and is flown by some of the world’s best pilots,” Gen. Christian Hvidt, the former Danish Chief of Defence, said at the farewell at Skrydstrup.
“Congratulations to 727. What exciting and enormous challenges lie ahead,” he added.
The 727 Squadron was the last remaining unit to fly the F-16 fighter jet, and Hvidt had earlier served as its Commander.
The F-16 is being replaced by the F-35A Lightning II stealth aircraft. Denmark signed an agreement in June 2016 to procure 27 F-35A jets to replace its more than 40-year-old F-16s. However, this was supplemented by an additional order for 16 F-35 fighter jets last year, bringing the Danish fleet to 43.
Today, 18 January 2026, the Royal Danish Air Force retired the F-16 Fighting Falcon after 46 years of service. A long-time airshow favourite, the Danish F-16 Solo now disappears from the circuit, following Belgium’s. The mission moves to the F-35A, with a future solo expected. pic.twitter.com/HHsHDYFEi1
— European Airshows (@EuroAirshow) January 18, 2026
The first F-35 touched down at the Fighter Wing Skrydstrup in 2023. RDAF announced on 1 April 2025 that the F-35s were ready to be integrated into Denmark’s air-defence interception readiness or Quick Reaction Alert/QRA duties.
Despite being retired by Denmark, the F-16s will continue to spearhead operations in Ukraine and Argentina.
In January 2024, Denmark pledged to transfer 19 F-16s to Ukraine to bolster its fight against Russia. Additionally, it has also played a crucial role in training Ukrainian fighter pilots to fly the American-origin aircraft.
In addition to the above, the Danish F-16s got another lease of life in the summer of 2024 when Argentina signed a $300 million contract to purchase 24 second-hand Danish F-16s.
“In close cooperation with our allies, we have donated 19 F-16s to Ukraine’s fight for freedom, and now we have sold 24 aircraft to Argentina in a good process that has created valuable ties between our two countries,” Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in an announcement at the time.
The deal with Argentina caught many by surprise because the Latin American country opted for second-hand Danish F-16s over brand-new JF-17 Block III fighters jointly developed by China and Pakistan. This choice, finalized in April 2024 under President Javier Milei’s administration, reflected Buenos Aires’ alignment with the US and NATO partners.
Denmark purchased the 77 F-16A/B Block 1/15 aircraft in the late 1970s as part of a European partnership with Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway. The aircraft replaced the Saab Draken, F-100 Super Sabre, and F-104G Starfighter in RDAF service.
Later, the aircraft was modernised to the F-16 AM/BM standard under the Mid-Life Update (MLU) program in the 1990s, which gave the aircraft greater capabilities with modern avionics, improved sensors, data links, and compatibility with advanced weapons. This was meant to keep the jets effective into the 21st century despite their age.
The Danish F-16s participated in several crucial military campaigns, such as the NATO-led “Operation Allied Force” bombing campaign against the former Yugoslavia in 1999. During this operation, the RDAF F-16s were deployed to Grazzanise air base in Italy and tasked with flying combat air patrol alongside the Norwegian F-16s.
A few years later, the Danish F-16s flew more than 700 sorties to attack the Taliban and Al Qaeda during the 2002-03 ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ in Afghanistan,
However, they gained significant fame in 2011 when the jets were deployed to Libya for “Operation Unified Protector.” These Danish Falcons conducted high-risk, air-to-ground operations to enforce a no-fly zone. Their first combat strikes occurred on March 23, 2011, earning the moniker “rock stars” during this campaign.
Later, the jets were called upon to participate in the campaign against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq, alongside their NATO counterparts.
Additionally, the RDAF F-16s were frequently deployed for Baltic Air Policing to safeguard NATO airspace throughout those years.
Denmark has also routinely deployed the aircraft to Greenland for surveillance missions.
Trouble Brewing Over Greenland
Incidentally, Denmark’s retirement of F-16s comes at a time when tensions with the Trump-led USA have skyrocketed over Greenland.
Greenland, which lies between the US and Russia, has long been seen by Washington as a region of great strategic importance for Arctic security. However, since Donald Trump was re-elected to a second term as President, he has intensified his rhetoric about seizing Greenland.
In the last few weeks, Trump has repeatedly emphasised that the self-governing island will unintentionally end up in the hands of China or Russia if the United States does not seize control of it.
“We need that because if you take a look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers, there are Chinese destroyers, and, bigger, there are Russian submarines all over the place. We’re not gonna have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that’s what they’re going to do if we don’t,” he stated earlier this month.
The US currently operates the Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland under a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with Denmark dating back to 1951. The bases host advanced radars for missile warning, space surveillance, and early launch detection, including the AN/FPS-132. It has been a crucial component of the US missile defence system for several years.
However, Trump now wants to seize Greenland to fit it into the “Golden Dome” defence shield, as EurAsian Times recently explained. This, however, has triggered a diplomatic showdown between the Trump administration and its NATO counterparts, who have sided with Copenhagen and its claims of national sovereignty.
Last week, several NATO countries deployed a small number of troops to Greenland to participate in joint drills with Denmark, following a Danish government declaration that it was expanding its military presence “in close cooperation with NATO allies.”
Irked by the solidarity and militarisation, the US President retaliated with up to 25% tariffs on them unless Greenland is ceded to the United States.
“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden warned in a joint statement. Meanwhile. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Trump’s ultimatum jeopardised the world order “as we know it” and the future of NATO.
Now, Trump is heading to Davos for a potential showdown with European leaders over Greenland.
“I’m going to a beautiful place in Switzerland where I’m sure I’m very happily awaited for,” Trump said with a smile at a White House briefing to mark his first year back in power, before leaving for Davos. Asked how far he was prepared to go to acquire Greenland from Denmark, a fellow NATO member, Trump replied: “You’ll find out.”
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