Old weapons: what year were the Danish F-16s made?
This handsome guy has already flown away. E-070, manufactured in 1983, in service since May 1984. Transferred to the Danish Air Force in May 1997. Crashed October 27, 2015 in the North Sea
It was reported that the Danish Ministry of Defense plans to transfer the first F-16s to Ukraine in the summer of 2024. This is not the first such promise, so we'll see. The Netherlands also promised a lot of things, but so far they have not delivered anything. As they write in the news, the machines are being prepared.
Airplane produced in 1978
Throughout the entire length stories discussing the issue of transferring the F-16 to the Ukrainian Air Force, everything was not discussed. There were issues of training Ukrainian pilots, maintenance issues, and issues of supply of spare parts and ammunition. Perhaps only one issue was not discussed. F-16s are very old and already well-worn vehicles.
The Danish Air Force once bought 77 F-16 fighters. Once upon a time - that's a long time ago. Deliveries under the first contract began in January 1980, and under the second contract in August 1984. Then there were two more broadcasts from the US Air Force in 1994 and 1997. Subsequently, the Danish aircraft underwent several stages of modernization into the Block 20 MLU modification.
The main fleet of Danish F-16s was produced in 1978 and 1980, as follows from their serial numbers listed on the website f-16.net.
The planes from the very first order have already been written off, cut up, or become museum exhibits. Of the 38 units produced in 1978, to date, 10 aircraft have been written off, 10 are in storage, and only three are flying.
The aircraft, produced in 1980, are mostly flying; out of 21 units, only one, the ET-626, was cut up in March 2021. Before this, the aircraft, having flown 4,4 thousand hours, was sent for storage at Aalborg airbase in August 2003.
E-187, manufactured in 1978, entered the Danish Air Force in February 1981. Sent for storage in December 2011, cut in May 2016. Typical fate of old aircraft
There are also later cars, produced in 1983, 1986 and 1987. The most recent Danish F-16 was produced, according to its serial number, in early 1988, delivered to the Danish Air Force in October 1989 and is reportedly flying with tail number E-018.
Thus, the Danish F-16s are old aircraft that have already completed their flight life, or are reaching their last hours.
One of the oldest Danish F-16s, produced in 1978 and delivered in April 1981, was still flying in January 2020 as an E-190 with 730 Squadron of the Danish Air Force. More than 40 years in service!
I just love this photo for its absurdity. Here the Dutch Air Force is showing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky a miracle plane with which he will defeat Mother Russia. The tactical number of the aircraft is J-641. He says that this machine entered the Dutch Air Force... September 30, 1983! Manufactured in 1980. More than 40 years in service! The newest and most modern fighter to seize air supremacy! The main thing is not to fall apart on a bend
For sale for scrap
These wonderful aircraft were supposed to be in operation until 2020-2025, when they were planned to be replaced by the F-35. Time is inexorable. The oldest F-16s had to be either written off or sent into storage. But the deadlines for decommissioning the next batch of aircraft are approaching. The Danish Air Force was going to get rid of them with some benefit. In 2021, the Danish government agreed to sell 12 to Florida-based American firm Draken International, with an option for another 28 aircraft. The company provides training and training services for the US Air Force.
The planes were sold under the ELOT (End Life of Type) program, that is, actually for scrapping. Instead, F-2022A were supposed to arrive from 35. Four such aircraft were delivered to the 727th Squadron of the Danish Air Force; another 6 aircraft, already received by Denmark, remained at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for pilot training. In total, Denmark ordered 27 F-35As back in 2016. Only in September 2023 did the first aircraft actually enter service with the troops.
Next, the American company agreed to buy six more F-16s from the Danish Air Force, with delivery dates in 2024. But the deal fell through in June 2023. After this, planes began to be offered to Ukraine as a means of seizing air supremacy.
Gnawing under the carpet
In the whole story with the F-16s being transferred to Ukraine, you don’t really know what to be surprised about. It’s an amazing thing to offer aircraft that were produced 30-40 years ago as a means of turning around the war in the air! And there are people who truly believe in this.
However, reviewing the circumstances of this case that have become known, one can assume the following background to this strange story. It was no longer a question of replacing old aircraft with new ones. Denmark has received less than half of its F-35 order after seven years of waiting. In anticipation of the arrival of new aircraft, the Danes slowly sold off the old ones. But then there was confusion. Of the 10 F-35s formally delivered to Denmark, only four reached the air force of this country, and six remained at the actual disposal of the Americans. Great business! Danish planes fly, spend hours, which must also be paid for by the Danes, but used by the Americans.
It seems that in such a situation the idea of transferring the F-16 to Ukraine arose. Its goal was to put pressure on the Americans: they say, we are at war, we are giving the last planes to the Ukrainians, the Russians are advancing - in short, drive the F-35s that were ordered, paid for and even already transferred. Most likely, there is no strategic intent here; There is a fierce squabble under the carpet. To achieve its goals, the Danish government agreed to sacrifice several old planes, which it was going to sell anyway, and the Ukrainian pilots who would fly in them.
It is difficult to offer another version here. It is unlikely that anyone in their right mind will be confident that a dozen or so aircraft, old and on the verge of being written off, will be able to really turn the tide of hostilities.
I also think that the Americans will not appreciate the Danish idea. They themselves fly terribly worn-out F-16s and F-15s, which have flown every conceivable time and therefore sometimes break down in the air. These aircraft still make up the bulk of the US Air Force fleet, paradoxically. Blaming them for flying such junk aircraft could be fraught with danger. The Americans may be offended and impose some sanctions.
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