Airforces

eeuwarden Air Base switched its focus

to hosting the multinational Fighter

Weapons Instructor Training (FWIT) a

fortnight after the Frisian Flag 2017 exercise

ended on April 7. FWIT is a demanding,

six-month course held every other year.

Dubbed the ‘university for F-16 pilots’, FWIT

trains experienced F-16 ‘Viper’ aircrew from

the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF)

to become weapons instructors (WIs). After

returning to their home bases, they share their

profound knowledge of F-16 weapons systems

and tactics with their squadron colleagues.

EPAF comprises the four European air

forces that originally ordered the F-16 back

in 1975 – Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands

and Norway – plus the Portuguese Air

Force, which began flying the F-16 in

1994. All five nations operate the Mid-Life
      Update (MLU) version of the F-16A/B.
      FWIT has been held since the mid-1980s. In
      particular, the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s
      (RNLAF’s) 323 Tactical Training, Evaluation

‘Viper’ university

60 // JANUARY 2018 #358 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

Fighter Weapons Instructor Training

L

Flying at Leeuwarden

was intense between

May and September,

with the multinational

FWIT fl eet operating

side-by-side with the

locally based jets,

including F-16BM J-065

from 322 TACTESS.

During the initial stage of the air-to-air phase, while engaged
in basic fi ghter manoeuvres and air combat manoeuvring
missions, the aircraft had only a belly tank and missiles fi tted,
as demonstrated by Belgian F-16AM FA-83 and the Danish jet
taking off in the background. All photos Kees van der Mark