Denmark’s leadership wants to buy 27 F-35s, announced the NATO partner’s prime minister and defense minister on Thursday morning, according to a Lockheed Martin release. The government also considered replacing its F-16 fleet with F/A-18F Super Hornets or Eurofighter Typhoons, according to its recommendation summary, but found the Joint Strike Fighter ranked first in each of its four evaluation categories: strategic, military, economic, and industrial. The Danish parliament will now debate the matter, and a final decision is expected in about a month, according to a Lockheed spokesman. In a statement, the F-35 Joint Program Office said it will continue to provide the Danish government with the information needed to make an informed decision.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.