known by then) was unable to accommodate
the extra 14 Dutch F-16s at the time,
because it had already added 13 United Arab
Emirates F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcons
to its inventory in 2004. Consequently, the
RNLAF squadron moved to the Ohio ANG
at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.
At Springfield, the Dutch training squadron
was integrated into the Ohio ANG’s 178th
FW. Designated as the 306 Detachment
and commanded by an American lieutenant
colonel, the unit flew 14 RNLAF F-16 MLUs –
eight F-16AMs and six F-16BMs. The Dutch
detachment operated alongside the Ohio
ANG’s 162nd FS, flying 14 F-16C/D Block 30s.
RNLAF training at Springfield began in April- Besides the IQT, 306 Det also catered
for additional training of operational F-16 pilots
from Netherlands-based squadrons, who
came over for a couple of weeks per year.
Things changed again in 2010. The 162nd
FS halted operations with its F-16C/Ds in
July, leaving 306 Det as the only unit flying
F-16s from Springfield. It was decided to
discontinue RNLAF training at this base
because it was not cost effective. Fortunately,
the Dutch got the chance to return to Tucson
when the UAE withdrew its F-16s from the
Arizona base after six years, in 2010. The
final class of four RNLAF IQT students at
Springfield graduated on October 9, and by
early December all 14 RNLAF had relocated
to Tucson. Since the 148th FS took over the
Dutch IQT again, there was no role left for 306
Squadron and the unit officially stood down at
Springfield on December 1, 2010. However,
306 Squadron will live on in its original role
as a reconnaissance unit, as it is earmarked
to fly the RNLAF’s four yet-to-be-acquired
MQ-9 Reapers from Leeuwarden Air Base.
RNLAF F-16 training at Tucson resumed
in January 2011. One more change came
in September that year, when the 148th’s
inventory was reduced from 14 to ten F-16s –
three F-16AMs and a single F-16BM returned
to the Netherlands as the result of defence cuts
announced in April 2011, dictating a further
RNLAF fleet reduction from 87 to just 68 F-16s.Mission types
The 148th FS is tasked to fly 2,000 hours
annually. “The baseline is that we spend up to
1,000 hours a year on IQT missions, flown by
both students and instructors,” Niki told AFM.
“Another 800 are reserved for training operational
squadron pilots. On average, each RNLAF F-16
pilot comes over from the Netherlands for two
weeks a year as part of their annual training
programme. We also cater for so-called TX
courses, including requalification training of
F-16 pilots who have not flown for a while and
lost their currency, for instance after a tour in
a staff position. Exchange pilots get their type
conversion here as well. Plus, we take care of
the F-16 instructor pilot training. We reserve 200
hours annually for TX courses. If these hours are
not all consumed, they are added to the total of
operational flying.” Niki added: “Our first priority
lies with the IQT, our second with operational
flying and then come the TX courses.”
Every now and then, the Tucson-based
Dutch jets are called upon to support other
RNLAF training or test and evaluationBelow: F-16AMs from the 148th FS taxi from the last-chance platform to Tucson’s main runway for
an afternoon mission. The 162nd Wing makes its home over 92 acres in the northern part of Tucson
International Airport. Kees van der MarkAbove: An IQT student gets ready for another mission in an F-16AM. Of the 68 missions the students fl y
during their nine months with the 148th FS, 29 are in single-seaters. Kees van der Mark Right: Lt Col Joost
‘Niki’ Luijsterburg is the commander of the Netherlands Detachment Tucson Arizona. He was the fi rst
RNLAF pilot with the rank of captain to achieve 3,000 fl ying hours in the F-16. Kees van der Mark148th Fighter Squadron
82 // APRIL 2018 #361 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com