Dutch MoD choose definitely for F-35

[doge]

A view of the Maintenance of the Tail.

https://www.defensie.nl/organisatie/luc ... svliegtuig

[doge]

Dutchman was interviewing former Top Gun commanders, Edward “Stevie” Smith, LM Domestic Director of Development for the F-35 in 2021.

https://www.upinthesky.nl/2021/04/10/f- ... ommandant/ (Article in Dutch)

Deepl Translation:

"F-35 stays ahead of opponents" | Interview ex-Top Gun commander
Leonard van den BroekBy Leonard van den Broek10/04/2021
Edward 'Stevie' Smith has had a career of more than twenty years as a fighter pilot in the US Navy, including on the F/A-18 Hornet and the F-16. His last position was commander of US Navy Fighter Weapons School, better known as 'TOP GUN'. Since 2016, Smith has worked for Lockheed Martin and two years ago he became 'F-35 team director business development'.
With his experience as an operational pilot and practical knowledge about the F-35, he is the right person to answer questions about the F-35. Up in the Sky had an exclusive interview with Stevie Smith about the F-35.

Exercise
Until 2016, Smith was commander of 'TOP GUN', which is part of NAWDC (Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center), the US Navy's knowledge and training institute, at Fallon Air Base in Nevada. Since 2013, the US Navy has been flying the F-35 and so the aircraft can also be found at Fallon. Stevie Smith: "That's right, since the end of 2020 NAWDC even has two F-35s of its own. In addition, Navy operational units regularly come to Fallon for training, in preparation for a 'cruise' aboard an aircraft carrier. VFA-147 is the first squadron to cruise with the F-35C in mid-2021 and has already come to Fallon to practice a few times."

Change
Smith adds: "The current commander of NAWDC at Fallon told us that the way we practice in the air and on the ground has to change a lot. Pilots from operational squadrons come to Fallon to train with practice opponents in the air and on the ground. In this way, they prepare for combat situations. But against the F-35, they are currently not up to the task. The training syllabus, which we use to try out and test the pilots before they go on a cruise, needs to be re-examined. The F-35 is really changing the way the Navy trains with and against this aircraft."

Cost
The US Navy flies the F-35C, the version specially modified to fly from aircraft carriers. The Dutch Air Force flies the F-35A variant, which is also somewhat cheaper to buy. Stevie Smith: "The price tag of the F-35A has now dropped to 80 million dollars each, so the price difference between similar aircraft is getting smaller. With around 150 F-35s rolling off the assembly line each year for the next few years, this is beneficial for all kinds of costs. Because of the larger numbers, we can be more efficient with parts and maintenance. The USAF now has 270 aircraft and Lockheed Martin has been able to achieve a 40% reduction in our portion of the operating costs over the last five years." Lockheed Martin expects the cost per flight hour to be reduced to $25,000 by 2025 (for the F-35A, 2012 price level). A flight hour of a 40-year-old Dutch F-16 costs about half that.

Stealth
So can an F-35 really do so much more? "I'm biased, of course, but fourth-generation aircraft like the F-16 can't top the F-35. At the same time, the bare cost per aircraft is comparable to the current fourth generation. In addition to its 'stealth' technology, the F-35 has other strong features, such as 'sensor fusion' for example. By merging the information from different sensors, the F-35 can get a complete picture of the battlefield. Then that information can be shared, not only with other F-35s, but also with other aircraft and with units on the ground. This role of "battlespace manager" the F-35 can, of course, also fulfill when all weapons have been used. That is the big difference with previous generations of fighter aircraft. Even the most modern F-16 cannot do this in this way."

Combined
Yet earlier this year, U.S. Air Force General Charles Brown expressed less praise for the F-35. The U.S. top air force general expressed his preference for a mixed fleet of stealth aircraft such as the F-35 and F-22, along with cheaper and less advanced aircraft. There are also several European air forces that are not fully switching to the F-35, but are keeping a combined fighter fleet. While this can save in procurement costs, a "mixed" fleet does mean higher maintenance costs. Stevie Smith says, "Key word with the F-35 is flexibility. The aircraft is designed as a stealth aircraft, which can carry weapons internally. At the same time, there is the possibility of carrying weapons under the wings. While this comes at the expense of the stealth properties, it can also carry out more conventional missions in this way. In practice, it could go like this: first stealth on a high-risk mission, and when the opposition has been eliminated, come back again with bombs."

Integration
At the same time, though, the F-35 is designed to work well with "4th generation" fighters" such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the F-16 and the F-15. "Integration between fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft is hugely important, if only because the USAF and US Navy will continue to fly fourth generation aircraft for some time to come. Gathering information and then processing and sharing it is one of the strengths of the F-35. The F-35 uses Link 16, just like the F-16, for example." Link 16 is a system for communication between NATO aircraft and with ground units. "With Link 16, the F-35 can not only communicate but also share information, including with third and fourth generation fighter aircraft."

Deficiencies
The F-35 has been under fire regularly over the past year. Early this year it was announced that the F-35 had 871 "deficiencies," shortcomings. Now this number seems high, but needs further explanation. They are areas for improvement, not all of which are very serious. The number also changes constantly, because deficiencies are solved but also new ones are reported. Stevie Smith: "When I flew in the US Navy, we also had constant 'deficiency reports' on our aircraft. They were often minor problems, for example after a new software release. Category 1 deficiencies are serious. Cat.1A deficiencies must even be dealt with immediately, because they can be a risk to flight safety. That means a potential danger to the aircraft or the pilot. So a Cat.1A deficiency is repaired immediately, or the aircraft is temporarily grounded until it can be fixed. Fortunately, the F-35 currently has no Cat.1A deficiencies.

Solutions
Cat.1B problems can affect the deployment of the aircraft, but temporary solutions apply. For seven of the ten Cat.1B deficiencies listed early this year, a solution has already been found and approved. For another two, a solution has been submitted and will be approved soon. The last 1B deficiency was outside the responsibility of Lockheed Martin and has been handled by another company.

Backlog
The past year also saw the reduction of the F-35's production rate in the news. From the originally planned 141 aircraft, the number was revised downward to 123. The Netherlands received five instead of the previously planned eight F-35s. "The pandemic has hit suppliers hard. We work with more than 1,900 small and large companies who all produce parts for the F-35. We reduced the pace of production last year to coordinate with the production of parts. At the moment we are increasing production again, we expect to catch up by the end of 2022 or early 2023. For the Netherlands, eight F-35s are scheduled for delivery this year. Unforeseen things can always happen, but it looks like it will work out."

[doge]

Frisian Flag 2022 exercises.
https://www.upinthesky.nl/2022/04/18/fr ... -longread/ (Language is Dutch. Use Deepl Translation.)

Frisian Flag 2022: "Great exercise with challenges" | Longread
RedactieDoor Redactie18/04/2022 Update:18/04/2022
"Frisian Flag is a great exercise, with some logistical challenges for us," said Major Banger of 433 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force. For Up in the Sky, Robert Arts visited Leeuwarden Air Base. During the exercise Frisian Flag he spoke with Major Banger, among others.
"We have been preparing for this exercise since the summer. The full squadron has come to the Netherlands with six of our CF-118 Hornets. All pilots have flown missions during Frisian Flag. However, the emphasis is on the training of the young, least experienced pilots. They fly the most often and are accompanied on the ground by their seniors."
Between Monday, March 28 and Friday, April 8, 'Frisian Flag' took place at Leeuwarden Air Base. The name of the exercise refers to the famous Red Flag exercises in Nevada. The red flag is raised there when the exercise area is in use. Characteristic of Red Flag are the complex exercise scenarios and large numbers of participating aircraft, with great diversity. The concept has been replicated in many countries over the past decades, from Canada (Maple Flag) and Israel (Blue Flag) to Turkey and Greece. All these exercises are characterized by a large international field of participants.

Nokia versus Apple
For the third year in a row, Major 'Joker' is the supervisor of Frisian Flag, which took place this year for the first time. "Because we have stayed with a number of teammates, no knowledge has been lost in the past two years. Normally we start inviting potential participants for the following year in May. When we receive confirmation, we ask about their own training goals. On this we try to adjust the flight schedules and scenarios as best we can." Although Joker is a 322 Squadron pilot, he has not yet retrained to fly the F-35. "Compared to the F-16, the F-35 is like an information sponge," he said. "The F-35 is the latest iPhone, where the F-16 is a Nokia 3210."
Frisian Flag is an annual exercise. The past two years Frisian Flag could not take place because of the corona pandemic. This year there was uncertainty for a long time due to the war in Ukraine. The Polish Air Force would participate with F-16s and MiG-29s, but canceled. Germany decided not to come to Leeuwarden and to operate from home base. Fewer tanker aircraft were available due to operational commitments in Eastern Europe.

Valuable
On short notice there was a search for other participants to keep the exercise valuable enough. The Italian Air Force was contacted and sent two Eurofighters and two Tornados. The first type could only participate the first week in the mornings, the Tornado was available both weeks in the afternoon to fly. As a result, a final "go" could not be given until March 15.
Canadian Major Banger had nothing but praise for Frisian Flag. "It is a great exercise, certainly comparable to the Red Flag and Maple Flag exercises we are familiar with. Operating from another continent did bring logistical challenges." To become familiar with European airspace and the participants, the intensity of the missions was built up. In the first week, the Canadians flew air defense missions. In the second week, they also conducted offensive exercise missions. The scenario of the exercise becomes more complex by the day, so the pilots have to apply the experience they have gained earlier immediately.
The main goal of Frisian Flag is to develop leadership skills in the participants. This is also trained normally, but here it can be practiced in much larger formations. Moreover, pilots work together on various types of aircraft, all with their own specializations and limitations. Each day a different participant is responsible for the planning, execution and evaluation of a mission. The second goal is training for precision, acting adequately within all kinds of rules and procedures.

Newcomers
It was a year with many debutants: the Canadian Air Force participated in Frisian Flag for the first time this year, with Hornets from Bagotville Air Base (Quebec). Rafales from the French Navy were actually supposed to participate two years ago, from their aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Because of the pandemic, the exercise was cancelled then. Dutch 'newcomers' were the F-35 and Apache. The French Air Force came this year again to Leeuwarden with Mirage 2000Ds from Nancy Air Base. British Eurofighter Typhoons participated just like the Germans from their home base. The U.S. Air Force came to Leeuwarden with F-16s from Aviano, Italy.
Also new was the presence of the air combat control of 'Bandbox' at Leeuwarden. Previously, AOCS (Air Operations Control Station) operated from their base in Nieuw-Milligen. Captain Jasper: "For us it is a very good experience to work on location. For the flying participants it also has an added value. They can now watch the air battle management live. We also noticed it in the number of visitors to our control room. It got busier and busier during the exercise because the pilots could watch and see why we performed certain actions." In a regular debriefing, one misses the accompanying context. Now a fellow pilot watching can oversee the entire situation. The pilot in question can get a detailed observation from his squadron colleague when he returns.

Superior
Canadian Major Banger also expressed a very positive opinion of the training area above the North Sea. "It is close to Leeuwarden and there are few restrictions. We can fly low, but also very high and even supersonic if necessary. In the past we have already learned a lot from working together with other air forces. The Canadian Air Force, of course, often exercises with the U.S. Air Force and Navy, especially in the harsh winter months. It was very interesting to operate together with the Dutch F-35s. The newer generation systems of that aircraft are really superior."
The Canadians expect to continue flying their Hornets for several more years. Upgrades will be needed until the arrival of the F-35. Recently, the Canadian Air Force acquired a number of Australian F/A-18 Hornets. The main task of this aircraft in Canada is North American air defense. "It's an excellent multi-role fighter, excelling in several areas," said Major Banger.

Realistic
French Mirage 2000D pilot 'Meds' was also very appreciative of the Frisian Flag training area. "All systems we can deploy without restrictions, in a realistic way. In other words, 'train as you fight'." He was very pleased with the quality and skills of the Dutch instructors. "They show top quality and professionalism in the planning, execution and debriefings of the exercise missions."
The exercise area extends north of the imaginary line Den Helder to Groningen across the Danish and Dutch parts of the North Sea. The area is approximately 360 x 180 kilometers in size. Also used are De Kooy Naval Air Station, the 'Cornfield' range on Vlieland and De Marnewaard military training area.
Nancy's Mirage squadrons have participated in Frisian Flag exercises in recent years, but also went to other exercises such as Blue Flag (Israel), Maple Flag (Canada) and the Tiger Meet. "Blue Flag has more threats built in from the ground, but has a very small exercise area. The Tiger Meet is larger in scale, but offers too few opportunities for low-level flying. While the Mirage 2000D excels in operating from low altitude. Frisian Flag combines the best of everything in one."
Next year, major runway maintenance is planned at Leeuwarden Air Base. The next edition of Frisian Flag will therefore take place in the autumn of 2023.

https://dvhn.nl/groningen/Primeur-Neder ... 92903.html (Language is Dutch. Use Deepl Translation.)

Combat helicopters and fighter planes practice over the Marnewaard near Lauwersoog. They take part in the annual exercise Frisian Flag
Jeroen Kelderman - 6 April 2022
Above the clouds you can hear the roar of fighter planes that have taken off from Leeuwarden Air Base. The fighter jets are bombing a target from kilometers up on the Marnewaard training ground near Zoutkamp.
The target is a Russian missile system owned by NATO. It has been put down as an exercise target. "An F35 fighter just dropped two bombs on the system," says captain Jaap, who prepared the exercise. On the ground you don't notice anything of the bombing, because everything is simulated with computer systems.
"If the area is safe, an Apache attack helicopter can enter the area to take out mobile targets; fighter jets are not as good at that," says the captain. This is the first time that helicopters from the Ministry of Defense are participating in the annual international exercise Frisian Flag.

Videos.
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/838099/frisian-flag-22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzAOPGbhNVU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkxWSOwfbts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aI2Zy9HO54

[doge]

The Dutch say the F-35 has a "50:1" kill ratio. (What!?!?!?!? )
https://www.ewmagazine.nl/nederland/ach ... en-878961/ (Language is Dutch. Use Deepl Translation.)

Frenetic air combat as Frisian exercise against the Russians
April 09, 2022 Eric Vrijsen Editor Eric Vrijsen (1957) has been following Dutch politics for EW since 1994.
The war in Ukraine is far away, but also not. Fighter jets of the NATO allies are practicing over the North Sea these days under the banner of Friesland. Editor Eric Vrijsen spoke with the fighter pilots and Air Battle Managers at Leeuwarden Air Base. About Reds against Blues, the kill ratio of an F-35, the 'Forward Line of Own Troops', the fire in your helmet, and the 'enemy' that comes flying in.
Major NATO air force exercises are called Flag Exercises. In the United States, fighter pilots meet at Red Flag (usually in Nevada or Alaska) and Green Flag (usually in Arkansas) exercises. In Canada, they have Maple Flag to practice. Once a year the Royal Air Force in Leeuwarden organizes Frisian Flag. That name might make you think of coffee milk, but it has nothing to do with that. Certainly not this year, because the escalation risks of the Ukraine conflict and the intimidating language of the Kremlin put the air warriors on extra alert.
At first glance, Leeuwarden Air Base is now the dream of aircraft spotters. French Mirages and Rafales, American F-16s, Canadian F-18s, British and Italian Typhoons and of course the host Royal Netherlands Air Force's own F-16s and F-35 Lightnings. Plus whatever else comes flying in from elsewhere to throw themselves into the exercise somewhere over the North Sea, such as Cougar and Apache helicopters from Gilze-Rijen, tanker planes from Cologne and Eindhoven, NATO AWACS radar stations flying from Geilenkirchen, and American F-35s arriving daily from England.
In the Frisian town of Wier, the state-of-the-art Smart L radar is in full swing. In short, half the santamount of NATO 'Air Power'. And it is a pity that the Air Force has only recently owned Reaper UAVs and a satellite in space (the BRIK II), otherwise they would have a role too. The Poles were also supposed to come with their F-16s and Mig-29s, but canceled at the last minute because of the Russian threat on the border with Ukraine.

Defined territory
In the dark rooms of the fighter control you get a view of what is going on. There you see on a large screen the airspace over the North Sea, the Benelux, part of Denmark and England. There is a large, white outlined territory, where the white arrows of civilian aircraft now anxiously remain outside. Because that's where the combat training is now taking place. Red attacks. Blue defends.
Red is the enemy, at least those are NATO aircraft programmed as Russian Sukhoi or Migs. In this way, the pilots learn to empathize with the role of their potential adversary. They have to understand what these Russian aircraft can do. About thirty aircraft are in the air each part of the day. Sometimes it's half Reds against half Blues, but often not. Then a handful of Reds try to disorient a force of Blue defenders. But it can also be done the other way around: a small group of Blue defenders must face off against an air fleet of Reds.
Wouldn't it be more authentic to have the Reds speak Russian to each other via a translation program? An experienced F-16 pilot with call sign 'Joker' shakes his head: 'When you practice a large-scale air battle like this, you simulate a situation where people really don't speak to each other anymore.'

Falling prey
He does not give precise details of the kill ratios of the various aircraft, but according to the U.S. Air Force, thanks to its stealth characteristics, an F-35 can take out an average of twenty enemy aircraft before it falls prey itself. That figure is based on the 2017 Red Flag exercise. In the corridors of the combat leadership, the story is circulating that it is a misleading figure. 'That's the official figure. It's probably one in fifty.'

DutchmMan.

[spazsinbad]

"...Flying for hours
Because Smaal sometimes spends hours in the JSF, noise-canceling speakers are a nice touch. "I recently flew in the JSF from the US to the Netherlands, and the speakers make the ten-hour trip a lot more pleasant." The helmet's cables are tucked away on the left and right sides, so the pilot can still move around relatively well. That's nice during a long trip, when you drink and eat ("bottles of water and power bars") and sometimes have to go to the toilet ("pee in bags with powder which makes it gel, you just have to hold up the big message"). [I'll have to remember that]

Multiple helmets per JSF
According to Smaal, the 400,000 euro augmented-reality helmet is included in the purchase price of the JSF: "From the purchase price of the JSF, several helmets are paid for, which are used by different pilots."...." viewtopic.php?f=58&t=24121&p=468145&hilit=smaal#p468145 from: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/tech/artikel/2 ... -van-4-ton

[optimist]

The Dutch say the F-35 has a "50:1" kill ratio. (What!?!?!?!? )
https://www.ewmagazine.nl/nederland/ach ... en-878961/ (Language is Dutch. Use Deepl Translation.)

Yes it is a conservative 20:1 From memory of a video interview posted here. [edit..............]

I went and found it. It was 78:1
Flynn interview time stamp 1:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUGND1LkUMI&t=10s

https://theaviationist.com/2017/02/28/r ... orce-says/
U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Jon M. Davis, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, related a 24-0 kill ratio for U.S. Marine F-35B aircraft during a different exercise.

[doge]

"...Flying for hours
Because Smaal sometimes spends hours in the JSF, noise-canceling speakers are a nice touch. "I recently flew in the JSF from the US to the Netherlands, and the speakers make the ten-hour trip a lot more pleasant." The helmet's cables are tucked away on the left and right sides, so the pilot can still move around relatively well. That's nice during a long trip, when you drink and eat ("bottles of water and power bars") and sometimes have to go to the toilet ("pee in bags with powder which makes it gel, you just have to hold up the big message"). [I'll have to remember that] :mrgreen:
Multiple helmets per JSF
According to Smaal, the 400,000 euro augmented-reality helmet is included in the purchase price of the JSF: "From the purchase price of the JSF, several helmets are paid for, which are used by different pilots."...." viewtopic.php?f=58&t=24121&p=468145&hilit=smaal#p468145 from: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/tech/artikel/2 ... -van-4-ton

Comfortable F-35. 8) (First-Class)

The Dutch say the F-35 has a "50:1" kill ratio.
https://www.ewmagazine.nl/nederland/ach ... en-878961/ (Language is Dutch. Use Deepl Translation.)

Yes it is a conservative 20:1 From memory of a video interview posted here.
I went and found it. It was 78:1
Flynn interview time stamp 1:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUGND1LkUMI&t=10s
https://theaviationist.com/2017/02/28/r ... orce-says/
U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Jon M. Davis, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, related a 24-0 kill ratio for U.S. Marine F-35B aircraft during a different exercise.

Kill Ratio of the F-35 is Phenomenal... 8) 20:1, 24:0, 50:1, and 78:1 !

[timmymagic]

Dutch Media is reporting that the Dutch military will receive additional funds for a further 6 F-35A. This has been in the offing for some time and will give them a fleet of 52 aircraft. They're also getting an additional 4 MQ-9 as well.

[spazsinbad]

More F-35 Fighters on Dutch Defense Shopping List
03 Jun 2022 David Donald

"Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought the defense of Europe sharply into focus, and many NATO nations are significantly increasing their defense expenditure as a result. The Netherlands is one of them and has committed an additional €5 billion per year to the military budget, representing an increase of around 40 percent. The future spending plans are laid out in a white paper—“A Stronger Netherlands, A Safer Europe: Investing in a Robust NATO and EU”—that was introduced by defense minister Kajsa Ollongren on June 1.

For the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, royal air force) the main element is the purchase of six more Lockheed Martin F-35As, raising the total number to 52. This will permit the creation of a third full squadron to join the current 313 Squadron at Volkel and 322 Squadron at Leeuwarden. The white paper also notes that “the entire F-35 fleet will be expanded with modern long-range and precision weapons” and that the future use of unmanned fighters is being examined. Long-range engagement and suppression of enemy air defenses are regarded as important aspects of future KLu operations...."

Two KLu F-35As are seen during a February 2022 exercise with a pair from the UK-based 48th Fighter Wing. Having been bought by eight NATO nations to date, plus Switzerland and NATO applicant Finland, the F-35 is key to the defense of Europe. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

Source: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... pping-list

[doge]

Mission Complete.
https://ac.nato.int/archive/2022/NLD_F35_end_eAP_BGR

NETHERLANDS FIFTH GENERATION AIRCRAFT COMPLETE NATO AIR POLICING MISSION IN BULGARIA
JUN 1 2022 Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office based on information provided by the Royal Netherlands Air Force
PLOVDIV, Bulgaria - After two months, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) ended the deployment of their modern F-35 fighter aircraft in support of NATO's enhanced Air Policing in Bulgaria.
From April to May 2022, two F-35 fighter jets and approx. 120 support staff from RNLAF took part in a collective defence mission and safeguarded the integrity of the NATO Alliance member's airspace over Bulgaria. Since the start of the mission, the RNLAF performed this task in cooperation with Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter aircraft out of Graf Ignatievo Air Base.

We flew training missions alongside the Bulgarian MiG-29s and other Allies deployed to the Black Sea region demonstrating Allied interoperability and cohesion

"We are very grateful to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence and especially to the team at Graf Ignatievo Air Base for the cooperation and for being excellent hosts during this first deployment of our F-35s," said Major Vincken, RNLAF Detachment Commander.
"Thanks to this cooperation we were able to execute all our missions in a safe and effective way. Together with the Bulgarian MiG-29 Fulcrum jets, we flew Air Policing missions defending the eastern flank of NATO safeguarding Allied sovereignty", Major Vincken added.
"Besides safeguarding the airspace, the F-35s conducted vigilance activities over Bulgaria and showed their readiness to ensure the integrity of the designated airspace," said Major Vincken. "We flew training missions alongside the Bulgarian MiG-29s and other Allies deployed to the Black Sea region demonstrating Allied interoperability and cohesion," he added.
"This was our first joint mission with the Netherlands F-35s for enhanced Air Policing in Bulgarian airspace," said Brigadier General Nikolay Rusev, Commander of Graf Ignatievo Air Base. "It was our pleasure to host and cooperate with such a low-maintenance and high-quality unit. We paved the way for future F-35 deployments in Bulgaria and I hope that this will be the beginning of a closer cooperation and friendship. I would like to thank our Netherlands colleagues for their effort, professionalism and understanding," he added.
The NATO Air Policing mission rests under the oversight and guidance of NATO's Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany. In the south, the Combined Air Operations Centre at Torrejón ensures control of the enduring 24/7 mission. NATO remains steadfast in accomplishing this peacetime task which is to ensure and safeguard the airspace within the nations of the Alliance.

Goodbye DutchMan.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/ni ... -bulgarije (Language is Dutch. Use Deepl translation.)

Rutte with F-35 pilots in Bulgaria: extension difficult due to restriction at Defence
News Release | 16-05-2022 |
The F-35s that guard and possibly defend the eastern flank of the NATO alliance are in demand, it appears. The aircraft have already been alerted several times. This because of threatening situations towards NATO treaty territory. Bulgaria therefore wants the fighters to stay longer. In addition, it has a deterrent effect.
The agreement is that the F-35 pilots will perform their duties as 'airborne surveillance officers' until the end of May. According to Prime Minister Mark Rutte, there are talks about an extension, but he does not think there is much chance of one.
'It is difficult because of our limitation in Defense,' he said today during a visit to the Dutch military in Bulgaria. Rutte was there together with Commander of the Armed Forces General Onno Eichelsheim. The Dutch fighter pilots mainly carry out their duties together, but also with Bulgarian colleagues. They operate with the Mig-29.

Russians everywhere
The Russians fly everywhere over the Black Sea,' says one of the F-35 pilots, but according to him the NATO allies are not challenged. The Dutch pilot believes that the Russians are completely focused on the war in Ukraine.
The Air Force has 4 F-35s and about 100 military personnel stationed in the Bulgarian Graf Ignatievo. Of the 4 aircraft, 2 are continuously deployable. Both others are reserve. The air force detachment is under NATO command.

https://www.defensie.nl/actueel/nieuws/ ... r-bijna-op (Language is Dutch. Use Deepl translation.)

Task of F-35s in Bulgaria almost over
News Release | 31-05-2022 |
The F-35s that the Netherlands has stationed in Bulgaria are flying their last missions today. The task is to monitor the airspace on the eastern flank of the NATO treaty area. Two F-35s have been available to NATO since April. Bulgaria would like the fighters to stay longer. However, this is not possible due to the limitations of the Dutch armed forces.
The fighter planes are there for a reason, as experience has shown. In any case, they act as a deterrent. Apart from that, there were several instances of threatening situations in the direction of NATO territory. That led to the alerting of the F-35s.
The aircraft operate from the Bulgarian Graf Ignatievo. Here, by the way, are 4 F-35s. Half of them are kept in reserve. The fighter jets and the approximately 100 military personnel of the F-35 detachment will return to Leeuwarden Air Base this week.
It is not yet known whether one of the other allies will take over the task from the Netherlands.

Welcome Americans!
https://ac.nato.int/archive/2022/USanddutchblacksea

UNITED STATES AND DUTCH FIFTH GENERATION FIGHTERS OPERATE TOGETHER IN THE BLACK SEA REGION
MAY 31 2022 Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office
RAMSTEIN, Germany - United States Air Force (USAF) F-35s have joined their Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) colleagues to conduct air operations in the Black Sea region, May 30.

Alliance aircraft routinely operate together in the Black Sea region in order to hone communication skills and enhance interoperability for future missions.

USAF F-35s, deployed to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, flew a long-range mission to Bulgaria in support of NATO vigilance activities on the Eastern flank. Once in the region they linked with RNLAF F-35s, based in Bulgaria under the NATO enhanced Air Policing mission and the Bulgarian Air Force. The USAF F-35s landed at Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria enabling them to increase their range and endurance over the Black Sea.
"The ability to leverage the advanced capabilities provided by Allied 5th generation aircraft is key to enhancing NATO's situational awareness and strengthening our defensive posture in this important region," said Brigadier General Christoph Pliet, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations. "Alliance aircraft routinely operate together in the Black Sea region in order to hone communication skills and enhance interoperability for future missions."
The American and Dutch fifth generation fighters flew within the Bulgarian airspace. Conducting routine operations and exercising our freedom of navigation and overflight is key to NATO's ability to bolster our collective defence and ensure the security of its members in the region.

[doge]

The F-35 flies longer than the F-16:

Netherlands replace F-16 with F-35 in Benelux air policing
MAR 30 2024 Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office based on input provided by the Royal Netherlands Air Force

RAMSTEIN, Germany - The Royal Netherlands Air removes their F-16s from BENELUX Air Policing and will now operate their fifth generation F-35s to protect the airspace over Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Since 1981, Netherlands F-16 fighter planes have been permanently ready for Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties. These are integrated into NATO's Air Policing arrangement controlled by the Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem, Germany. That era has come to an on March 29, 2024 and the responsibility for the surveillance of the airspace of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg has been in the hands of two Netherlands F-35s..
Two fighter aircraft are permanently available for QRA missions. Due to the short warning time, they can take off within minutes and intercept any unidentified aircraft. The Netherlands and Belgium alternatingly ensure jets are availble for BENELUX Air Policing - on May 9 Belgian will again take over the mission.

Until then, Netherlands F-35s will ensure safety and integrity over the three Nations. Changes for the pilots will be minimal now that the 24/7 enduring mission is performed by F-35s. They still have to be ready in the same way. “The conditions remain the same,” says Major Nick, the squadron's deputy chief of operations. “The F-35 is above all a more modern platform, which makes things easier. The aircraft can fly longer and has better sensors - and it sends the right signal,” he added.

In the Netherlands, the Air Operations Control Station in Nieuw Milligen has control over the QRA. When an aircraft pilot has no radio contact with Civilian Air Traffic Control, NATO Air Policing arrangements kick in and the QRA is alerted to intercept that aircraft. The F-35s are stationed at the air bases at Leeuwarden and Volkel. Responding adequately to preserve the integrity and safety of the BENELUX airspace is the core tasks of the air force.

In Belgium, the QRA is deployed under the responsibility of the Control and Reporting Center (CRC) in Beauvechain. Air combat control within Europe works closely together when unidentified aircraft fly into the airspace of a neighboring country. This makes it possible to respond to a possible threat in a timely manner.

Various Allies are integrating their F-35 into NATO's standing Air Policing missions e.g. in Norway, over Iceland. During operational deployments under NATO enhanced Air Policing, the Royal Netherlands Air Force has flown their F-35s in Poland in 2023 and Bulgaria in 2022

Story by Allied Air Command Public Affairs Office based on input provided by the Royal Netherlands Air Force

Full article: https://ac.nato.int/archive/2024/NLD_Update_BENELUX_AP

Similar: https://defence-industry.eu/dutch-air-d ... ce-patrol/