spazsinbad wrote:RNLAF commander pushes for F-35-based Joint air force with Belgium30 May 2016 Nathan Gain"The Dutch air force commander invited himself in the debate on the successor of Belgian Air Force’s F-16 fleet. General Alexander Schnitger suggested on Flemish - VRT that Belgium purchase the same type of aircraft selected by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) – the F-35 Lightning II – to create a joint Dutch-Belgian air force.
”I see significant benefits in building (military) cooperation between our two countries,” he said on the Flemish public channel, referring to the joint missions the two air forces would conduct. "Why not building a strong sole air force from two small ones,” added Schnitger. "From my perspective this would naturally help a lot if we finally choose the same type of fighter as this would facilitate integration,” he said....
...Belgium approved in last December the purchase of 34 new fighter aircraft to be acquired from Spring 2018 for an amount of 3,573 billion euros...."
Source: http://www.airrecognition.com/index.php ... lgium.html
27 mei 2016
http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/4268798/henni ... lbaar.htmlGoogle Translate
May 27, 2016
Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert Friday after the cabinet meeting.She responded thus on the statements of the Dutch Air Force Commander Alexander Schnitger. He pleaded Friday at the Belgian radio to join the air force of the two countries. "Why not make two relatively small air forces one medium air force?"
According Hennis is conceivable that the Netherlands and Belgium continue to
work together more closely. "But that will not happen tomorrow."
One of the hurdles that must be taken is that the Belgians will replace their F-16s by the Joint Strike Fighter. The Netherlands has opted for the F35 and the Belgians have yet to make a decision.
http://www.nu.nl/algemeen/4268798/henni ... lbaar.html“Building (military) cooperation between our two countries” as the general proposes is a possibility, but one integrated Airforce will be hardly possible.
As well as both navies do have a strong cooperation, concerning the Netherlands it needs a or at least some possibility to operate on their own
May be not known. Since 2010 three Islands are a part of the Netherlands
(Free choice of these Islands to become a part of Dutch territory)
The Netherlands since then it’s known as: Continental Netherlands and Caribean Netherlands.
Together with the other three independent states (Islands) they form the Kingdom of the Netherlands
It’s not possible for Belgium military personnel, technical personnel or pilots, to operate in case of tensions, on the Antilles.
When tensions would become severe (in 2015 an American civil aircraft was shot down by Venezuela) airspace needs to be controlled by at least some Dutch aircraft.
From a political view it’s not possible for Belgium sending military personnel.
QRA could not be done by Belgium pilots, technical personnel included.
Belgium in that case would be a part of the conflict.
Although in case of war it’s not possible to defend territory of (Caribean) Netherlands or the other three states (islands).
The only ally to be trusted on by the Netherlands to defend their territory are the United States. NATO is forbidden to operate in this region.
Case studies are clear about help from other European countries. In case of real problems the Dutch are on their own, like the British and the Falklands (Monroe doctrine)