Denmark orders more medium range air-to-air missiles for its F-35s

Denmark has ordered additional air-to-air missiles for its F-35 fleet. However, the country is approaching the end of its defence acceleration fund, with most of the money now committed. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, editor of Calibre Defence. Published on February 20, 2026.

Denmark is acquiring an unspecified quantity of additional medium-range air-to-air missiles for its F-35 fleet. The February 19 announcement states that “the investment is being carried out on the basis of a military professional recommendation from the Chief of Defence.” The additional missiles will strengthen the country’s conventional deterrence, it adds.

The Nordic country submitted a request to purchase up to 200 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles from the US in 2024. This sale was approved in December 2025, and later approvals were granted for 340 of the AIM-9X Block II short-range missiles. 

The missiles will be procured through Denmark’s Acceleration fund, most of which has now been committed. They are needed because Denmark also announced its intention to procure 16 additional F-35s last year. This order will bring its total fleet to 43, and they are expected to contribute to the country’s missile defence. 

• Denmark increases F-35 fleet by 68% – Calibre Defence 
• Denmark to procure long-range precision weapons for OCA – Calibre Defence 
• F-35 used in Danish MDO demonstration – Calibre Defence 

A range of other capabilities including long-range strike to counter Russian airpower on the ground are being considered. There are also plans to introduce collaborative combat aircraft or “follow-up drones,” into service. “The follow-up drones can, for example, be used as a forward weapons platform or for reconnaissance under tactical control of the pilot in the F-35 fighter aircraft,” the October 2025 announcement said.

Calibre comment: Countering Russia’s missiles 

Russia could theoretically stockpile thousands of missiles and one-way attack drones for a conflict with NATO. Its industry is producing cruise and ballistic missiles at considerable scale, as well as around 4,000 Gerans per month. Most of that production is used almost immediately against Ukraine, and stockpiling is fairly limited. So, NATO must be prepared to deal with massed missile strikes and a much more active involvement of Russia’s air force. 

However, Russia’s capacity to launch things like cruise missiles and even Gerans is somewhat limited. The infrastructure and movement needed to launch thousands of Gerans in a night would presumably be quite noticeable. And the strategic bomber fleet that does much of the cruise missile work against Ukraine has suffered some considerable losses. The loss of capacity could be made up by Russia’s navy, but it would also be responsible for deploying nuclear weapons, which could constrain its use. 

All that is to say that the offensive options for countering a Russian missile strike are as important as the defensive. With relatively few launch platforms, rapid attrition could degrade Russia’s ability to conduct long-range strikes and reduce the burden on NATO’s air defences. This means that whilst Denmark’s AIM-120 procurements are welcome, the sooner F-35s start regularly carrying long-range strike missiles, the better.

The lead image shows a pair of F-35s in Danish service. Credit: Danish Armed Forces.