Karo-Aviation visit Leeuwarden airbase for
the
F-35
Pictures
and article by Rob Nispeling – KARO Aviation
 Monday 23rd May 2016 will go into the Dutch military aviation books as
the date the first two Dutch F-35A Lightning II - nee JSF – touched down
on Dutch soil at Leeuwarden AB for the first time. The event was widely
reported in the Dutch press, who called the JSF acquisition program “an
eighteen year rollercoaster ride”. Contrary to the Italian produced
F-35A’s who are silently making their way to the US to be based at Luke
AFB for training purposes, the flight of the two Edwards (CA) based
Dutch test aircraft was broadcast live on Youtube.
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On Monday 23rd 2016 at
Leeuwarden AFB The Netherlands,
two F-35 Lighting II’s landed for a 3 weeks stay.
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Embedded in the 461
FLTS at Edwards AFB, F-001 (AN-1) and F-002 (AN-2) are part of the
international OT&E effort to perform all the operational testing of the
new multirole 5th gen fighter and iron out all remaining technical and
operational issues before the aircraft joins operational units around
the globe. While F-001 and F-002 are early-model F-35A’s, the Royal
Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has ordered a total of 37 aircraft
including these two, with operational deliveries starting in 2019.."
 The
F-35A’s left Edwards on Saturday 21st May, escorted by the two KDC-10
tanker transports of the RNLAF, homebased at Eindhoven AB. A lay-over
was planned at NAS Patuxent River on the US east coast before making the
7 hour eastbound Atlantic crossing on Monday. A Dutch KDC-10 flew
certification flights in the US in March 2016, becoming the third non-US
operated tanker to be certified for this job (it joins the Italian
KC-767A and Australian KC-30A).
While a home crowd of thousands stood outside Leeuwarden AB and a number
of dignitaries and VIP’s on the north ramp, awaiting the arrival around
21:00 local time, Dutch Minister of Defence, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert
and Lt Gen Sander Schnitger, CO of the RNLAF flew out for an aerial
welcome in the RNLAF’s Gulfstream (V-11).
After the rendez-vous over Scotland, they performed a fly-by with the
Gulfstream escorted by the F-35’s on either wingtip. F-001 was piloted
by 323 Squadron and OT&E commander Col. Bert “Vidal” de Smit, while
F-002 was piloted by Maj. Pascal “Smiley” Smaal. There are currently
four qualified F-35A pilots in the RNLAF, all based at Edwards AFB.
After landing both aircraft were treated to a water arch welcome by
Leeuwarden AB Fire and Rescue Service..
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Defence minister Hennis
welcomes Col de Smit after arriving at Leeuwarden AFB
following its transit flight from the USA.
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The aircraft are stationed
in The Netherlands for so called ‘experience flights’ to
test the aircraft at AFB Leeuwarden en AFB Volkel.
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The F-35A’s are not only here for promotional duties, but also to
perform a number of noise-level test flights at both future home bases
Leeuwarden and Volkel. During the three week visit, residents living in
areas surrounding these air bases can compare the noise level of the
F-35A with that of the F-16A currently in use. During these test
flights, both aircraft will fly the standard arrival and departure
flight-patterns in rapid succession, both upwind and downwind. The
acoustic test program is executed and scientifically validated by the
NLR -Netherlands Aerospace Centre.
After the first public appearance of the F-35 in Europe at the RNLAF
Open Days in June 2016, the aircraft will return to the US to finish the
OT&E program. Both aircraft will continue on as US-based Dutch aircraft
and will transfer to Luke AFB (AZ) to become part of the F-35
International Flight Training Program.
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