Denmark moved closer to buying conventional variant F-35s when its government recommended the purchase of 27 units, according to a spokesman from F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin [LMT].
Lockheed Martin spokesman Mark Johnson said May 12 Denmark’s announcement is the first of two phases toward formally committing to the program. He said the next phase is an open debate in Danish parliament, which Johnson estimated lasting approximately one month before the nation’s government potentially approves its decision.
Nations and their industries who participate in the F-35 program benefit from tech transfers. Johnson said Danish companies are presently active participants in the F-35 global supply chain by supplying a variety of aircraft composite skins and panels, aircraft edges, wing weapon pylons, gun pods and a number of machined aircraft metallic parts.
Johnson said Danish companies have been awarded F-35 contracts totaling over $360 million. Sixteen Danish companies have received F-35 contracts, he said, including Terma, Systematic, DAMCO, Multicut and Trelleborg Sealing Solutions.
Byron Callan, an analyst with Capital Alpha Partners, said May 12 in a note to investors that Denmark’s decision wasn’t a surprise as the nation was already a partner on the F-35 program and is participating industrially. Callan said Denmark had initially considered buying 48 F-35s, but this figure was scaled back due to budget and affordability concerns.
A Danish type selection executive summary provided by Lockheed Martin said the two other platforms considered were Airbus’ Eurofighter and Boeing’s [BA] F/A-18F Super Hornet. It said Saab’s Gripen was an early candidate, but Gripen withdrew from the process when Sweden decided not to respond to the request for binding information.
Evaluations were made in four specific areas: strategic, military, economic and industrial aspects. Evaluations were based on a 30-year operational period.
The F-35 topped competitors in all aspects while the Super Hornet came in second in all but strategic. Denmark said the F-35 provided the “greatest potential” for promoting Danish interests in terms of both security policy and military strategy and that it will provide the highest degree of flexibility at the political level with regards to future tasks.
Strategic aspects covered defense and security policy implications along with the potential for strategic cooperation associated with the respective aircraft. Denmark said it liked how using the Eurofighter would open up an opportunity to strengthen defense and security cooperation with Germany. It also liked the European flavor of the Eurofighter customers. The executive summary said the Super Hornet came in third in strategic because of the few users and the geographical location of those users far from Denmark’s neighboring areas.
Military aspects covered survivability, mission effectiveness, future development and candidate risk. The F-35 was number one for survivability and mission effectiveness due to a handful of considerations. These included a low radar signature as well as the application of advanced sensors and systems that enhance the pilot’s tactical overview and ensure the survival of the aircraft. The summary said the Super Hornet did slightly better than the Eurofighter in survivability and mission effectiveness.
For future development, Denmark liked the F-35’s large anticipated production number and that there was a contractual and development basis for keeping the aircraft technologically and operationally relevant. The summary said Eurofighter and Super Hornet were at the same level for future development.
Economic aspects compared the candidates’ estimated lifecycle costs in procurement, ongoing operations and sustainment as well as quantifiable risks over a 30-year period. Denmark found the F-35 had the lowest estimated lifecycle costs based primarily on the aircraft being designed to fly 6,000 hours. Denmark also found that the Eurofighter had higher maintenance costs per flight hour than the F-35 while also having the highest procurement price per unit.
Industrial aspects covered the extent to which the manufacturers’ proposals of industrial cooperation with Danish defense industry could support the nation’s security interests. Denmark ranked the F-35 first for industrial aspects because of the large volume and duration of the initiatives, the relatively high degree of feasibility and the maturity of the initiatives. Denmark also found overall industrial initiatives proposed by Boeing for the Super Hornet had higher degrees of feasibility and maturity.
An inquiry to the Danish Embassy in Washington was not returned by press time May 12.