On Friday, December 5, 2025, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) published the U.S. Department of State’s approval of a potential sale to the Kingdom of Denmark of a new batch of AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) medium-range air-to-air missiles, valued at up to 730 million USD.
Photo: USAF
According to the published information, the government in Copenhagen requested authorization to acquire 200 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM operational missiles and three guidance sections for them.
In addition, the package includes the following non-MDE (Major Defense Equipment) items: additional AMRAAM guidance sections, transport containers and support equipment, spare parts, consumables and accessories, as well as repair and return support; weapons software and support equipment; delivery and support of classified and unclassified software, classified and unclassified publications and technical documentation; transportation support; and engineering, technical, and logistical support services from the U.S. government and the contractor (RTX Corporation), along with other related logistics and program-support elements.
This will be Denmark’s second batch of AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles, following the June 7, 2024 approval for the purchase of 84 missiles valued at up to USD 215.5 million. Additionally, on 29 October 2024, Denmark received approval to acquire 203 AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM missiles valued at up to USD 744 million. Altogether, this means the government in Copenhagen may procure a total of 487 missiles of both variants. More recently, on 12 November this year, approval was granted for the purchase of 340 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II short-range missiles valued at up to USD 318.4 million.
Danish F-35A Lightning II aircraft (27 ordered, with 16 more to be contracted soon) will also carry GBU-31 JDAM and GBU-39 SDB I bombs, and later this year the acquisition of at least 48 long-range anti-radiation missiles is planned.
The AIM-120C-8 and AIM-120D-3 are the most advanced variants of the AMRAAM family, developed under the F3R (Form, Fit, Function Refresh) program, which modernized circuit cards in the missile’s guidance section and enabled continuous software improvements. The latest AMRAAMs are capable of countering peer threats, and their unofficial range is estimated at 120–180 km (a recent report mentioned a record-breaking missile flight, though the achieved distance was not disclosed for security reasons).
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