Meanwhile, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) at the end of April started a permanent operation in Springfield, Ohio. The Dutch detachment operates 14 Lockheed Martin F-16s (five F-16BM two-seaters and nine F-16AM single-seaters) and will provide all F-16 pilot conversion and most of the mission qualification training for the RNLAF. The bulk of the instructor pilots that will be training Dutch students will be from the Ohio Air National Guard, who will also maintain and support the RNLAF jets.
Previously, pilot conversion was done at Tucson International Airport, Arizona; mission qualification was performed at Volkel Air Base, the Netherlands. The new arrangement has an initial duration through mid-2010 but may be extended if successful.
According to a statement from the Netherlands defense ministry, concentrating RNLAF F-16 pilot training in Ohio means more efficiency in terms of flying hours, so that students can reach mission-ready status earlier. Furthermore, the Springfield location offers significantly more opportunities for night operations -- in the densely-populated and noise-sensitive Netherlands, night flying is subject to severe restrictions.
The deal with the Dutch means that Springfield can stay open as an Air National Guard facility and even increase its personnel from 200 to 300 -- reason enough for Ohio Senator George Voinovich and Representative Dave Hobson to support and witness the inaugural ceremony last week.
-- Joris Janssen Lok
Photos: Netherlands MoD
What happened with the RNLAF program in Florida with the company AeroGroup. I heard that the Dutch Government really screwed that company and just used them so that they could get leverage with the US to give them a base of thier own. Why should the US continue to allow the Dutch to operate here in the CONUS when they give the "Dutch Treat" and screw the US Tax payer.
Posted by: MIKE NIELSON | May 30, 2007 at 06:35 PM