| Falcon Spring
2025
Falcon
Spring is the Dutch Army’s annual training exercise for the 11th
Airmobile Brigade (11th AMB), the Netherlands’ specialised
rapid-response light infantry unit. The exercise brings together the
11th AMB and the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s Defence Helicopter
Command (DHC) to conduct intensive training in air assault, air
manoeuvre, and joint combat operations.
CH-47F Chinook
of the U.S. Army Europe’s 12th Combat Aviation Brigade preparing at
Drachten.
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This year’s Falcon Spring expanded beyond the cooperation of
the 11th AMB and DHC with the addition of the U.S. Army Europe’s 12th
Combat Aviation Brigade (12 CAB).
Falcon Spring was established to prepare airmobile units for deployment
in a dynamic, hostile area. It focuses mainly on combat, but also
includes activities related to logistics, medical evacuation,
communication, cooperation with air support and operations from
temporary bases.
Soldiers also train to set up forward base camps
(FOBs), conduct airborne operations, protect strategic targets such as
bridges and locks and operate under enemy threat. Much attention is
also paid to cooperation, tactical action and operations in difficult
circumstances.
While Leeuwarden Air Base
served as the main logistical hub, the
exercise emphasised dispersed deployment across five provinces:
Drenthe, Friesland, Groningen, Overijssel, and Flevoland.
For the first time, multiple Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) were
established at Drachten, Havelte, and Marnehuizen. These were supported
by Forward Arming and Refuelling Points (FARPs), significantly
extending helicopter endurance during missions.
The U.S. Army Europe’s 12th Combat Aviation Brigade operated from
the the FOB at havelte with there UH-60 Blackhawk and CH-47F Chinook
while the Dutch helicopters operated from the FOB at Drachten with the CH-47F Chinook
and AH-46E Apache .
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Two
AH-64E Apache Guardian off 301 Squadron where forward deployed at
Drachten.
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From 12 until 23 May 2025 the northern part of the
Netherlands formed the training area for exercise Falcon Spring. In
these two weeks of the exercise different scenarios where practised.
In the first week the exercise started on Monday in the first
week at the staging area at Leeuwarden Airbase, the first large scale
air assault operation on battalion level took place at a former
munition complex in the province of Drenthe, from where enemy forces
planned and executed their hostile actions.
On early Wednesday afternoon around 400 troops were dropped
off by American UH-60V Blackhawks and CH-47F Chinooks.
The second large air assault on battalion level was again performed in
the south of the province of Drenthe a day later, where troops had to
secure a bridge and a water lock near Ossesluis. Again the troops were
transported by American helicopters for the assault, after which DHC
and America CH-47F Chinooks brought in the necessary supplies by sling
load.
The next day the troops were picked up again by the
helicopters.
In the second week the troops had to conquer the village of
Marnehuizen, which is located in the middle of a large military
training area. The troops had to clear the village from enemy forces,
training to fight in an urban environment.
The final air assault attacks of the exercise were on
Wednesday when
two objectives (a farmhouse and a former ammunition depot) were
attacked by a compagnie.
The exercise was concluded at the end of the week at
Leeuwarden air base.
Troops dropped of by
American UH-60V Blackhawks and CH-47F Chinooks at the Ossesluis.
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