F-35's International Debut Will Be in the Netherlands

[Zarvan]

WASHINGTON — The F-35 joint strike fighter will fly across the Atlantic Ocean this summer to make its international debut — but the United Kingdom won’t be the JSF's first stop.

At least one Dutch F-35A will appear at the Leeuwarden Air Show in the Netherlands in June, according to Lt. Col. Sidney Plankman, chief of public affairs for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). The aircraft will be on static display at the show, and the RNLAF is looking into doing a flight demonstration of the plane along with the Dutch F-16s during the show as well, he said.

The Dutch plane will make the transatlantic crossing from Edwards Air Force Base, California., to Leeuwarden Air Base in late May, Plankman said. Over the following few weeks, the Dutch F-35A will conduct noise and environmental tests over the Netherlands, designed to determine the levels of noise disturbance the residents experience.

The tests are “done in full cooperation with the residents and our local environmental groups,” Plankman said, adding that the exercises are designed to “just get the people acquainted with the F-35.”

The Dutch plane will leave after the Leeuwarden Air Show on June 10 and 11.

Leeuwarden is one of two bases in the Netherlands that will be home to a planned 37 F-35As starting in 2019. The other is Vokel Air Base, Plankman said. The Dutch currently have two F-35As flying at Edwards Air Force Base.

The F-35’s appearance at the Dutch air show comes ahead of the planned international debut of the JSF at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom in July. Two US Air Force F-35As and two US Marine Corps F-35Bs are scheduled to fly over from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, for the events.


DEFENSE NEWS

US Air Force, Marine Corps F-35s To Appear at UK Air Shows


The joint strike fighter's appearance at the two major European air shows will mark a critical milestone for the program after the jet was forced to skip its planned international debut at RIAT and Farnborough in 2014 due to an engine fire and subsequent fleet-wide grounding.


DEFENSE NEWS

Marines ‘Looking Into’ F-35 Vertical Landing During UK Air Show


Email: lseligman@defensenews.com

Twitter: @laraseligman

F-35's International Debut Will Be in the Netherlands

 

[Penguin]

Earplugs at the ready, sir!

And it is Volkel Air Base, not Vokel...
https://www.defensie.nl/english/organisation/air-force/contents/bases-and-units/leeuwarden

Leeuwarden AFB
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeuwarden_Air_Base

From the 11th april to the 22nd of April 2016, Leeuwarden AFB hosts the 'Frisian Flag 2016' exercise, featuring - among others - Eurofighter EF-2000 Typhoon (Germany), Dassault Mirage 2000D/N (France), Panavia Tornado GR4 (UK), Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C (Finland), Lockheed-Martin / General Dynamics F-16 AM/BM (Belgium, Netherlands) plus C/D (Poland) and Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F-15C/D (USA). Other aircraft include Lockheed C-130H (Netherlands), Boeing C-135FR (France), Boeing KC-767A tanker (Italy), Boeing / McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 (Netherlands) and Airbus A-310 MRTT (Germany). Also flying is DA-20 Falcon (UK and Norway).
http://www.luchtvaartnoordnederland.nl/events/frisian-flag-2016-english/
http://www.prk-aviation.nl/frisianflag2016.htm

Purpose of the exercise Frisian Flag is to promote coöperation between NATO and non-NATO airforces. This year the Frisian Flag is linked with the NATO exercise RAMSTEIN GUARD-5. The NATO Electronic Warfare Force Integration Programme is a means to exercise the NATO designated regional elements of NATO’s Integrated Air Defence System conducted through the CAOCs while also including some national systems and assets. It is designed to train AC Ramstein and subordinate units on the reporting/ coordination requirements while exposing them to a wide variety of EW tactics and techniques in a controlled environment.

Operating areas are northern Delta's; CORNFIELD-range (EHR-4A);Marnewaard (EHR-2) and area west of the coast village Zurich, south of Harlingen. Within a range of 20 Km around Zurich an altitude is used of 1200 feet, except the Waddenzee, marnewaard also 1200 feet is allowed, without the Waddenzee and the Waddenzee a minimum altitude of 1500 feet. Also the Frisian Flag can use the dutch Delta's 1-10 located above the North sea for unrestricted air operations and also the North-western German airspace.

Visit Cornfield Range

LEEUWARDEN AIRSHOW 2016:
10-11 June 2016 Luchtmachtdagen (RNLAF Open Days) Leeuwarden AB, Netherlands
https://www.milavia.net/airshows/calendar/showdates-2016-europe.html
https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/luchtmachtdagen

 

[Immanuel]

Indeed, cameras at the ready, ear plugs!!! No way!

http://www.belgianairforcedays.be/en/participants-category/aircraft-display?page=2

Belgian AF days will have EF Typhoon, Rafale, Gripen, Mig-29s, F-18s etc in the flying display, interesting opportuntity to see the Euro canards.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]