COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The Danish defense ministry said Thursday that it will lease two electric trainer airplanes as a test, adding that it is the first country in the world to do so.
The single-engine, two-seater Pipistrel Velis Electro is an electric-powered Slovenian light aircraft intended primarily for training use. It will complement the Danish air force’s current training aircraft, the Saab T-17 Supporter, which is used for school flights and maintenance training flights.
The noise level of the plane corresponds to that of a normal conversation, the ministry said in a statement.
“Everyone has a responsibility to contribute to climate change. This also applies to the area of defense,” said Defense Minister Trine Bramsen. The trial of the planes “will be important for future equipment acquisitions in the field of defense.”
They will be delivered in the fall of 2021, and would be leased via a French company. The ministry didn’t say how much the lease would cost.
