Denmark's defense committee head said he regrets choosing the F-35: 'We must avoid American weapons if at all possible'

Denmark ordered 27 F-35s in 2016, a decision that its defense committee chairman says he regrets helping to make.

Denmark ordered 27 F-35s in 2016, a decision that its defense committee chairman says he regrets helping to make. BO AMSTRUP/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.

The chairman of Denmark's parliamentary defense committee said he regrets choosing the F-35 for his country, citing fears that the US may threaten to cease support for the fighter.

"As one of the decision-makers behind Denmark's purchase of F-35s, I regret it," Rasmus Jarlov, a member of parliament for the center-right Conservative People's Party, wrote on social media on Wednesday.

Jarlov was addressing rumors that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II may have a "kill-switch" that allows Washington to remotely disable F-35s purchased by US allies.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that the stealth fighter does not have such a feature.

But the Danish MP isn't convinced. "We obviously cannot take your word for it," Jarlov wrote in his post.

He added that the US could scupper Copenhagen's use of the F-35 just by stopping the supply of spare parts — a similar dilemma that Ukraine faced when Washington temporarily paused military aid.

"I can easily imagine a situation where the USA will demand Greenland from Denmark and will threaten to deactivate our weapons and let Russia attack us when we refuse," wrote Jarlov, who is also his party's spokesperson for his stance on Greenland's affairs.

Jarlov further accused the US of wanting "to strengthen Russia and weaken Europa."

"Therefore, buying American weapons is a security risk that we cannot run. We will make enormous investments in air defense, fighter jets, artillery, and other weapons in the coming years, and we must avoid American weapons if at all possible," he said.

"I encourage our friends and allies to do the same," Jarlov added.

Denmark announced in 2016 that it was spending about $3 billion on 27 F-35s to replace its aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons. Jarlov was serving as Denmark's defense committee chairman at the time.

Jarlov, pictured left, served as chairman of the defense committee from 2015 to 2017, before resuming the role in 2021. MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images

Copenhagen has received 17 of its orders so far.

In a statement to Business Insider, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson said the company "values our enduring partnership with the Royal Danish Air Force and is committed to strengthening that partnership into the future."

"The pressure-tested F-35 program recently surpassed 1 million flight hours across 16 military services flying the aircraft," they said.

"We are committed to helping our customers strengthen their airpower and security with the F-35," they added. "As part of our government contracts, we deliver all system infrastructure and data required for all F-35 customers to sustain the aircraft."

His comments come as President Donald Trump has said that he wants to buy or annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark that's rich in minerals and can provide the US with a strategic location near the Arctic.

Leaders in both Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly resisted Trump's statements, saying their governments had no interest in the territory coming under US administration or rule.

"There is no threat from China against Greenland and China has no presence in Greenland," Jarlov wrote on Sunday. "The only threat against Greenland is the USA."

Meanwhile, Second Lady Usha Vance, White House national security advisor Mike Waltz, and the Secretary of Energy Chris Wright are expected to visit Greenland on Thursday.

Denmark isn't the only country reconsidering its defense reliance on US exports. Leaders in Portugal and Canada have also said they are reviewing their willingness to buy the F-35 amid the geopolitical tensions between the US and its allies.

Canada's defense minister, Bill Blair, said his country may be seeking alternatives to the F-35 over concerns of hostility from Washington, which launched steep tariffs against Canadian and Mexican goods earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Portugal's outgoing defense minister, Nuno Melo, told local media that his country "cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices" on possibly buying the F-35.

At least 19 governments, including the UK, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Australia, and Israel, have agreed to purchase the F-35.

The F-35 is one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world, and while it has several competitors, its stealth features have been dominant in the market. Other planes considered adjacent or similar in capability are China's Chengdu J-20 and the French Dassault Rafale, which a British think tank said has recently surged in popularity as US ties with its allies fray.

South Korea is also developing the KF-21 Boramae, but its stealth systems are expected to be less advanced than the F-35's.

The State Department, which oversees foreign sales of US weapons, and Jarlov did not respond to requests for comment sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.

March 24, 2025: This story was updated to reflect comment from Lockheed Martin.