Dutch MoD choose definitely for F-35

[spazsinbad]

Netherlands Preparing For F-35 Introduction [LONG ARTICLE - BEST READ AT SOURCE]
F-35 buy will quicken evolution of Netherlands air force, says commander
08 Dec 2015 Tony Osborne

"With plans to purchase just 37 aircraft, the Netherlands fleet of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) is likely to be one of the world’s smallest.

Yet the fighter’s introduction is seen as a catalyst for change, transforming not only the way the Netherlands thinks about airpower but also prompting cohesion, with bilateral and trilateral discussions with other European operators.

“We need to be suitable to operate in a modern agile and ever-changing environment,” Gen. Alexander Schnitger, commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), tells Aviation Week.

He says the rapid pace of technological development, the changing security environment and the increasing role of cyber-technology and information has evolved the modern battlefield, and his air arm needs to reflect this.

The F-35 buy is just part of that evolution. “The trick is to build an air force around the ability to at least react proactively and engage in those areas,” says Schnitger.

Without such thinking, he adds, the force could “run the continuous risk of using the F-35 as simply a one-on-one replacement for the F-16 and to use it as bomb truck. But it [the F-35] can do so much more.”...

...Schnitger says that 37 aircraft was the maximum number acceptable to ministers at the time, but he expects the number to rise, albeit not in the short term.

“Behind the number 37, I tell my people, there is not a period, but a comma,” explains Schnitger. “The security situation in Europe is changing, [defense] budgets are recovering and every day we take a hard look at our [projected] needs five, 10, 20 years from now,” he adds.

The two operational aircraft are currently being flown out of Edwards AFB, California, where they form part of the joint U.S.-led JSF operational test team.

With the RNLAF planning for the F-35’s service entry in 2019, the Dutch team there has been accelerating testing with recent trials proving interoperability with the F-16, the KDC-10 refueling aircraft, navy vessels and joint tactical air controllers.

The F-16 and F-35 will be “operating side-by-side for quite a while,” says Col. Albert De Smit, commander of the RNLAF detachment at Edwards. Part of the testing has been to understand and develop tactics for fourth- and fifth-generation fighters to work together more effectively.

“Analysis on the exchange of information is far from complete,” adds De Smit. “But F-35 capabilities definitely enhance fourth-generation fighter effectiveness by providing increased situational awareness.”

“In Europe, for a long time to come, we will be working with this mix [of] fourth-, fifth- and even third-[generation] aircraft and dwindling numbers of airframes and weapons,” says Schnitger. “We have to make the most out of that construct.”

Schnitger says the Netherlands will have to make its transition to the F-35 at a “fast and furious” pace, as the RNLAF cannot afford to operate both the F-16 and F-35 for an extended period of time. Some of the F-16s have high airframe hours and sustainment issues....

...He points out that the pace of transition will allow the air force initial operating capability in 2020.

The air arm is also planning to deploy one of its F-35s, with support from an RNLAF Douglas KDC-10 tanker, to the Netherlands in the summer of 2016, to allow communities living near F-35 bases to experience the aircraft’s noise profile. The air arm will use the opportunity to take noise and vibration measurements to support F-35 operations from hardened aircraft shelters.

The same aircraft is also set to make the F-35’s international public debut at the air force’s Open Days at Leeuwarden in June....

...The F-35 procurement has opened up other, more immediate, concerns regarding pilot training as well. In order to get the most operational capability out of the F-35, the RNLAF is transitioning to a 2:1 ratio of pilots to aircraft from 1:1. But the current budgets do not stretch to giving all of those pilots the annual flying hours they need to be combat-ready.

Commanders are looking at a number of options, including the amount of training that can be performed in the simulator and use of a companion training aircraft, downloading F-35 training software to a type that is cheaper to operate.

They are also considering how well the current training in the U.S.—using the T-38 Talons of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training—will prepare pilots for the fifth-generation fighter, given that the next-generation T-X trainer will not be operational until 2023.

“Simulation will be a big part of the training program for the pilots,” says Schnitger. “Fighter pilots prefer to strap on a jet and not a simulator, but things are about to change, and they understand that. They are working with me to optimize what we have,” he adds...."

Source: http://aviationweek.com/defense/netherl ... troduction

[joost]

Yesterday during the Kings Speech ('Prinsjesdag' or princes-day, which is the annual speech of the Dutch King, every 3rd Tuesday of September) it was announced that The Netherlands will place a follow up order of 9 F-35A.
It was known for some time that the Dutch Government was aiming to order extra F-35s, to be added to the initial order of 37 aircraft, but yesterday it became official with the confirmation in the speech.

According to the article at the jump, the nine aircraft will be part of a 3rd squadron to be formed. A full strength squadron contains 15 aircraft. It needs to be decided where the new squadron will be based (Leeuwarden or Volkel AB).

My own addition: Further follow up orders can be expected, since The Netherland is ramping up its defence spendings. Initial plans in the press were for an extra 15 aircraft. Combined with the spokeman message that these 9 will be the start if a 3rd squadron, more orders (another 6 or so) can be expected in the near future.

But for now, the total number will be 46 for the Royal Dutch Air Force, up from the original 37.

Joost

https://www.lc.nl/friesland/leeuwarden/ ... ogle.nl%2F

[botsing]

Excellent news, and I hope they choose Volkel.

[Corsair1963]

The Netherlands to buy nine more F-35s for $1.1 billion

By: Sebastian Sprenger  

Oct 8th, 2019


COLOGNE, Germany – The Dutch government on Tuesday announced plans to purchase nine more of Lockheed Martin's F-35 jets, a move that would bring the country's inventory to 46.


The envisioned €1 billion acquisition will “lay the foundation” for a third F-35 squadron in the Dutch air force, a plan that government officials first floated in late 2018, according to a statement posted on the defense ministry website.


The additional aircraft are expected contribute to the air force's objective of having four jets available for NATO missions while also performing homeland defense operations and accounting for training requirements and maintenance downtime.


Fully rounding out a third squadron would require 15 extra planes, however, alliance officials have previously told the Dutch, prompting talk in the Netherlands last year of a potentially higher number eventually.


The Dutch want the F-35 to replace their legacy fleet of F-16s. Neighbor Belgium selected the fifth-generation aircraft in the fall of 2018, announcing a planned buy of 34 copies.


Dick Zandee, a defense analyst at the Clingendael think tank in The Hague, told Defense News the announced acquisition of nine more F-35s enjoys “broad support” in the Dutch parliament. He said government leaders had already included the new aircraft spending in their annual report to NATO to show momentum in the country’s move toward spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on the military.


Government officials have told parliament that they want to give the American program office a formal notice to buy the additional jets before the end of the year, Zandee said. The Dutch want F-35s of the newest configuration, he added, which means any changes in the international delivery schedule caused by the recent Turkish expulsion from the F-35 program likely would play no role.

The Trump administration has kicked Turkey out of the program over the country’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air-defense system. American officials fear that co-locating the two systems could enable Russia to glean valuable intelligence about the planes simply by subjecting them to the S-400′s sensors.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/euro ... 1-billion/

[mixelflick]

As the price falls, they'll add to their order. As the feedback comes in from their pilots, they'll add to their order. As they see how it's a force multiplier (even just 37), they'll add to their order.

These countries aren't stupid, they know the stealth revolution is underway. I can't think of a single country that isn't trying to buy, develop or steal stealth fighters. Literally, not one. They (should have) seen this coming since 1991 with GWI, but still there were barriers to entry. Namely, cost. Now that the per unit price of an F-35 is lower than even 4th gen aircraft, only the cost per flight hour (already on the way down) and sanctions can stop it now.

When it's all over I predict LM will build 5,000+ F-35's, and quite possibly eclipse even the F-16 as an unrivaled success...

[joost]

First F-35A (F-009) arrived home today, landing at Leeuwarden Air Base. This is the start of the build up of 3 F-35 squadrons for The Netherlands.

[notkent]

[quote="mixelflick"
These countries aren't stupid, they know the stealth revolution is underway. I can't think of a single country that isn't trying to buy, develop or steal stealth fighters. Literally, not one. They (should have) seen this coming since 1991 with GWI, but still there were barriers to entry. Namely, cost. Now that the per unit price of an F-35 is lower than even 4th gen aircraft, only the cost per flight hour (already on the way down) and sanctions can stop it now.[/quote]

There are also huge advantages with so many countries operating the same aircraft type.

They will be able to share a common air picture across allies, reduce maintenance footprint and integrate seamlessly.

[krorvik]

First F-35A (F-009) arrived home today, landing at Leeuwarden Air Base. This is the start of the build up of 3 F-35 squadrons for The Netherlands.

Congratulations to our brothers and sisters a bit further south!

[spazsinbad]

https://www.pprune.org/military-aviatio ... st10607758 "Leeuwarden fireman selects foam rather than water to welcome Hollands first F-35" https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org ... f82af4.jpg

[krorvik]

Someone is singlehandedly buying all the beers tonight. Brakes on the thing work really well, you can see him full stop here:

https://twitter.com/MinBijleveld/status ... 9058569217

[pron]

I suspect this Leeuwarden fireman who selected foam and not water to welcome Hollands first F-35 will not get a bonus.
Look at this video at 1:53.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQoQ6YlJrdg

[spazsinbad]

I'll assume the foam was NON-CORROSIVE? Big issue in US and Australia about 'old' TOXIC foam (older foam CORROSIVE).

[outlaw162]

Someone is singlehandedly buying all the beers tonight.

"Bartender, there's a little too much foam on my heineken$."

[spazsinbad]

Reading 'pprune' apparently there was an F-16 emergency before F-35 arrival with 'firies' forgetting to switch foam/water.

Afterwards an engine run with water to help clear the foam was made.

1 november 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzTkLkycjpQ

[ricnunes]

https://www.pprune.org/military-aviatio ... st10607758 "Leeuwarden fireman selects foam rather than water to welcome Hollands first F-35" https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org ... f82af4.jpg

LoL, Hilarious

They could have "saved face" by putting some bikini girls scrubbing the foam out of the F-35