The dozen Dutch fighters flew straight from the Netherlands to Idaho for flight training—and are scheduled to return later in the month.
Three United States Air Force Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers are now operating from Morón Air Base, Spain, as part of the Bomber Task Force (BTF) Europe 26-1 mission to strengthen coordination with Allies and regional partners. Other NATO nations regularly deploy aircraft in similar roles—including the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), which operates Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs. The Dutch aircraft were sent to Poland earlier this year as part of a NATO air policing mission.
Additionally, last month, a separate group of a dozen Dutch F-35s flew to the United States. Their pilots began training operations from Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB), Idaho, where the fifth-generation multirole stealth fighters have been taking part in a three-week exercise to enhance the personnel capabilities of the RNLAF.
Gold Standard Fighter Training in the Gem State
The fighter training is being carried out in Idaho due to a lack of adequate training airspace in the Netherlands—notably to test-fire the weapons that can be carried by the F-35, including air-to-air and air-to-ground systems. During the three weeks, the aircraft will carry out training with GPS- and laser-guided bombs.
The lack of airspace in Europe isn’t a problem that is unique to the RNLAF. Neighboring Belgium, which recently welcomed the first four of its F-35s at the Belgian Air Force’s 1st Squadron at Florennes Air Base in Wallonia, also lacks adequate training space, turning instead to the Netherlands, Italy, and Norway to carry out some of the flight testing.
It is likely that in the future, Dutch and Belgian F-35s will make the transatlantic crossing together. They could wind up at Mountain Home AFB, which is frequently used by NATO partners in joint training programs with the US Air Force.
“NATO relies on its airpower… training in large formations with allies is absolutely crucial to maintain that edge,” Frederik Mertens, a strategic analyst with the Dutch TNO think tank, told Newsweek. “For the Dutch, being able to train in the USA is particularly important, because we are a small, densely populated country.”
Currently, initial F-35 training for the United States military and its foreign partners is conducted at Luke AFB, Arizona. As the largest F-35 training hub in the world, it has a large fleet of simulators and also significant range access. The consistent weather is also critical for the large-scale training of the Lightning II.
Flying to Idaho Was a Long Trip for the Dutch Pilots
According to the Netherlands Ministry of Defense, the Dutch aircraft were flown from the Netherlands to Idaho, conducting aerial refueling in order to remain airborne. For that purpose, the 12 Lightning IIs were supported by four Airbus A330 Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, operated by NATO’s Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Unit (MMU), based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The journey was not completely non-stop, however, as the aircraft made a technical stopover in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal.
The F-35As, which are the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants, are expected to complete their training and return to base around November 21, pending favorable weather and other conditions.
The RNLAF currently operates 40 of the stealth fighters that are also capable of carrying the American B61-12 tactical nuclear gravity bomb. It is estimated that approximately 150 B-61 nuclear weapons are stored at six NATO bases in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey as part of the nuclear weapons sharing program.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
