ABOVE: A Dutch F-35 demonstrates opening
the large internal weapons bays in ight.
RIGHT: The two Dutch operational test F-35As
y over Edwards AFB.
BELOW: The rst two Dutch F-35As ew to
Leeuwarden in May 2016 for local testing and
demonstrations.80
F-35 LIGHTNING II Operator profile – The Netherlands
Atlantic crossing
One of the pioneering milestones so
far for the Dutch was the very first
transatlantic crossing by the F-35, when
F-001 and F-002 where flown to the
Netherlands to participate in a nationwide
test event in May 2016. After a flawless
deployment that also included the first
airshow appearance outside the US,
both aircraft returned to Edwards.
Of the operational testing, Col de Smit
said: “Operations-wise we have worked
on getting a better understanding of how
we can execute suppression of enemy air
defence/destruction of enemy air defence
[SEAD/DEAD] missions. This is a new
mission set that the F-35 brings to the
RNLAF. Additionally, we have been looking
at how we can execute mission concepts
that are very familiar to us, like close air
support [CAS]. We are shaping our tactics
so we fully benefit from the fifth-generation
technology. The synthetic aperture radar
can make radar images from a long distance
through the weather. This is a whole new
aspect in the CAS mission and will be a
game-changer in the dialogue between
the JTAC [Joint Terminal Attack