Danish coalition to back $3 billion Lockheed Martin fighter deal

COPENHAGEN, June 9 (Reuters) - The Danish government on Thursday reached agreement with coalition parties to proceed with the purchase of 27 F-35A stealth fighters from U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp, the defence ministry said.

Following a recommendation from an expert group appointed by the government, Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, leading a minority government, announced on May 12 his support for the acquisition of 27 fighter jets to the value of 20 billion Danish Crowns ($3.05 billion).

The agreement is a blow to rival Boeing Co which mounted an expensive last-ditch marketing effort for its older F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Denmark would be the 11th country to buy the radar-evading F-35A jets, joining the United States, Britain, Australia, Turkey, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, South Korea and Japan.