Danish parliament approves F-35 buy

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, June 9 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II has been approved for acquisition by the Danish parliament to replace the country's F-16 aircraft, the Ministry of Defense reports.

The cross-party measure passed Thursday, which includes funding for the acquisition, allows for the purchase of 27 "A" variants of the aircraft, with deliveries between 2021 and 2026.

Terma, a Danish company that produces composite aerostructures and radar electronics for the Lockheed Martin plane, welcomed the decision.

"It is with great pleasure that I receive the news of the decision on the fighter aircraft acquisition," said Terma President and Chief Executive Officer Jens Maaloe. "I congratulate the Danish government and the Danish Defense on reaching this new milestone. Terma has patiently awaited the decision for more than a decade, and we are very pleased that we are now able to explore further cooperation with the winning manufacturer, Lockheed Martin."

Lockheed Martin's F-35 aircraft was chosen in competition with Boeing's F-18 Super Hornet and Airbus' Eurofighter Typhoon.