classes with FWIT students at Leeuwarden in
the initial phase and flew out of Leeuwarden
for a week in July, flying combined missions
with the F-16s. However, the majority of
TWIC flying was conducted from Eindhoven.
FWIT phases
Nowadays, the training programme includes
an air-to-air and an air-to-surface phase, plus
a concluding mission employment phase. The
air-to-air component started with academics
on April 24. Although theoretical classes form
an essential part of the course, there is also
a significant amount of flying involved. The
students took off for their first FWIT sorties in
early May and concluded the initial phase on
July 14. The air-to-air phase includes basic
fighter manoeuvres, air combat manoeuvring,
tactical intercepts and air combat training.
The jets’ configurations reflected the different
stages of this flying phase, flying with only a
belly tank and four air-to-air missiles (AAMs) in
the initial weeks, up to fully loaded with wing
tanks, a targeting pod, AN/ALQ-131 jamming
pod and up to six AAMs in the final weeks.
Not all EPAF nations acquired the same
weapons for their F-16s. During FWIT,
Belgian, Danish and Dutch jets were seen
carrying AIM-9X short-range AAMs, while
the Portuguese jets had AIM-9L/Ms and
the Norwegian F-16s were fitted with IRIS-
Ts. Portugal uses the AIM-120C version
of the AMRAAM, whereas the other EPAF
F-16s carry the AIM-120B. Similarly,
Belgian, Dutch and Norwegian aircraft use
the Sniper/PANTERA advanced targetingpods, while the Danish and Portuguese are
equipped with LANTIRN or Litening pods.
Flying is intense during FWIT. A typical
flying day sees 12 to 16 F-16s from all five
nations fly missions in the morning, and the
same number again in the afternoon. An
equal mix of students and instructors flies
the jets. In the air-to-air phase, additional
aircraft are called upon to fly in the Red Air
role. These can be either extra F-16s provided
by EPAF nations or other air forces’ assets.
In late May, US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles
from the 48th Fighter Wing based at RAF
Lakenheath, Suffolk, and German Eurofighters
from Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader
(TaktLwG) 73 ‘Steinhoff’ at Laage and TaktLwG
71 ‘Richthofen’ at Wittmund were called upon
to play the adversary role. The Strike Eagles
and Eurofighters visited Leeuwarden on
several occasions in between FWIT missions.
A Norwegian Falcon 20ECM from
717 Skvadron/Forsvarets Elektronisk
Krigføring Støttesenter (FEKS, Air Force
Electronic Warfare Support Centre) also
operated from Leeuwarden for one week
in June to provide electronic warfare
during tactical intercept missions.
This was also the first edition of FWIT in
which civilian contractors provided fast jets in
the aggressor role. Lakeland, Florida-based
Draken International sent four of its L-159E
Advanced Light Combat Aircraft (ALCA) from
Nellis AFB, Nevada, to Leeuwarden, which
were contracted by the Dutch Ministry of
Defence via Skyline Aviation, Draken’s strategic
partner in the Netherlands (see boxed item).
The L-159Es flew sorties from Leeuwarden
twice a day between June 26 and July 11.62 // JANUARY 2018 #358 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
Fighter Weapons Instructor Training
RNLAF F-16AM J-514 of Volkel-
based 313 Squadron about to
land at Leeuwarden, with a
Portuguese aircraft turning on
finals behind. Note the recently
introduced AIM-9X training round
under the starboard wing.Portuguese F-16AM 15113 comes in to land on Leeuwarden’s runway 05 carrying no fewer than six
AMRAAM missiles, including two AIM-120Cs and four ’Bs.