" Frisian Flag " - 2016
The 2016 edition took place in the Netherlands skies between 11th and the 22nd of April and involved aircraft from several NATO and partners of the NATO air forces. Leeuwarden AB hosted all fighters and fighter-bombers participating and supported all organization of the exercise. From there an average of 44 aircraft flying twice a day performed air to air/air to ground missions while few others from Eindhoven AB provided the necessary air to air refueling support.
Purpose of the exercise is to refine interoperability among air components of different countries so that, when involved in an international coalition, they can deploy and be fully operational in any European theater and not, as fast as possible and with the least use of resources.
Here follow the list of air assets and respective location :
Aircraft Unit Air Base Air Force
EF-2000 TLG-31 Norvenich Luftwaffe
F-15C/D 104thFW/131stFS Westfield, Barnes MAP Massachusetts ANG
144thFW/194thFS Fresno,Yosemite IAP California ANG
F-16AM/BM 349 Sqn Kleine Brogel Belgian AF
F-16AM/BM 312, 313 and 322 (TACTES ) Sqn Leeuwarden / Volkel R.Netherlands AF
F-16C/D 3rdFS and 6thFS Poznañ Polish AF
F-18C HävLLv 31 Rissala Finnish AF
Tornado Gr.4 IX(B) Sqn Marham Royal Air Force Mirage 2000D EC 03 Nancy French AF Falcon 20ECM 717 Sqn Oslo-Gardermoen R.Norwegian AF Falcon 20 Cobham Air Services C-130H 336 Sqn Eindhoven R.Netherlands AF KC-135FR ERV 02.091 Istres French AF KC-767A 8° Gruppo / 14° Stormo Pratica di Mare Italian AF KC-10 334 Sqn Eindhoven R.Netherlands AF A-310MRT FBS BMVg Köln-Bonn Airport German AF E-3A AWACS NAEWF Geilenkirchen NATO
Pictures in this report were taken Wednesday, April 13, at Leeuwarden AB.
Report and photos Renzo Del Bianco
