316th squadron ( RNlAF)

Having the honor of being the last Dutch unit to fly the NF-5 Freedom Fighter, the squadron converted to the F-16 just prior to 314 sqn. To accommodate the F-16 at Eindhoven AB, major infrastructural works had been implemented. Because they weren't finished by the time the F-16 was introduced, the unit was briefly based at Gilze-Rijen AB.

In the Dutch Defense white paper of 1991 the unit was to be moved to Twenthe AB in 1996. The unit has never moved there, since it was to be disbanded in accordance with the Defense white paper that followed in 1993.

RNlAF F-16A block 15 #J-208 from 316 sqn is seen with a full colour badge around the period the squadron was disbanded. [Photo by Rogier Otten]

It was also the only unit who never had the possibility to have the swing role concept fully operational. Since a lack of instructors, it wasn't able to have the Clear-Weather-Interception task implemented into the squadron before it disbanded.

Closure finally happened on April 1st, 1994. This was the first Dutch F-16 unit to be disbanded. It too, just as 314 sqn, had only flown on the type for little over four years. As a consequence, Eindhoven AB lost its fighter force all together since the F-16s were concentrated on Leeuwarden, Twenthe and Volkel AB.

RNlAF F-16A block 15 #J-359 has the markings of 313 sqn. It crashed on September 23rd, 1992 while flying with the 314th sqn. [Michel Klaver collection]

• 1952: Activation of the squadron in Eindhoven
• 1952: F-84G 'Thunderjet'
• 1955: Deactivated for 1 year
• 1956: F-84F 'Thunderstreak'
• 1958: Disbanded
• 1971: Activation of the squadron in Eindhoven
• 1971: NF-5A 'Freedom Fighter'
• 1972: NF-5A 'Freedom Fighter' (Gilze-Rijen)
• 1988: NF-5A 'Freedom Fighter' (Eindhoven)
• 1991: F-16A 'Fighting Falcon' (Gilze-Rijen)
• 1991: F-16A 'Fighting Falcon' (Eindhoven)
• 1994: Disbanded

• All 316 sqn F-16s in our F-16 Aircraft Database (past and current aircraft)
• Current 316 sqn F-16s in our F-16 Aircraft Database