Airforces

Move to Norway

After a summer break, FWIT 2017 continued

with the air-to-surface phase, starting on

August 14. This part of the course comprises

basic range missions, basic surface attack and

opposed surface attack. During the first five

weeks of the air-to-surface phase, missions

were again flown from Leeuwarden. Some

of the jets were seen carrying (inert) bombs

during this period, including the GBU-12

laser-guided bomb and GBU-31 Joint Direct

Attack Munition (JDAM). The air-to-surface

ranges used were ‘Cornfield’ on the Dutch

island of Vlieland and Oksbøl in Denmark.

The entire FWIT contingent – comprising more

than 200 people and 16 F-16s – relocated

to Main Air Station Bodø in Norway in mid-

September, with most jets departing Leeuwarden

on September 14. At Bodø the remainder of

the course, including the mission employment

phase, ran until October 27. All FWIT night flying

was conducted in this final period in Norway.

On November 9, 15 FWIT (one student

dropped out) and four TWIC students received

their eagerly awaited WI status during the

graduation ceremony at Leeuwarden.

The next FWIT is scheduled to take place in

2019. Current plans foresee this to be the last
      course centred around the F-16, as both the
      Netherlands and Norway will begin flying the
      F-35 Lightning II in their operational squadrons
      within the next few years. Denmark has also
      decided to replace its F-16s with F-35s and
      a decision on the replacement of the Belgian
      Air Component’s F-16s is expected in 2018.
      It therefore seems likely that at least some of
      the current EPAF nations will be interested
      in a future FWIT based on the F-35.

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #358 JANUARY 2018 // 63

Draken’s FWIT debut

The participation of four L-159E ALCAs in FWIT

marked the first visit of Draken International

aircraft to the Netherlands. The RNLAF previously

worked with the US contractor company in August

2015, when its two F-35As and Tucson, Arizona-

based Dutch F-16s flew combined missions with

Draken A-4K and A-4N Skyhawks from Edwards

AFB, California, as part of fourth- and fifth-

generation combat aircraft integration trials.

For FWIT, Draken was contracted via Skyline

Aviation. This Groningen-Eelde-based Dutch

company has been working for the Netherlands’

armed forces for some 20 years now, flying a

Learjet 36A, a Stemme S15 and two L-39 Albatros.

Using callsigns ‘Arctic 11-14’, the L-159s arrived

at Leeuwarden on June 22 after a four-day ferry

flight from Nellis AFB, Nevada. The ALCAs departed

for the return flight to the US on July 12. The

ALCAs had additional Skyline titles and emblems

applied while operating from Leeuwarden.

Draken’s L-159s are former Czech Air Force

aircraft built in 2000-2002. Soon after the type

entered service, the Czech fleet was reduced from

72 to 24. Draken acquired 14 surplus aircraft from

Aero Vodochody in July 2014, with an option for

up to 14 more (see Enter the dragon, May 2017,

p60-67). The first aircraft was handed over on

September 30, 2015, and 12 jets from a planned

total of 21 had been delivered by late 2017.

Of the aircraft deployed to the Netherlands,

one had a white/grey/black arctic camouflage

pattern applied, while the other three were

finished in the standard two-tone grey

scheme used by the Czech Air Force.

During their deployment to Leeuwarden, the Draken International L-159Es carried additional Skyline

Aviation markings, including a ‘North Sea Aggressor’ badge on the tail.

Left: Among the Norwegian F-16s at FWIT 2017
was serial 298 displaying an image of Thor, the
god in Norse mythology associated with thunder
and lightning, on its tail. The jet was repaired
after suffering a severe lightning strike on final
approach to Bodø in February 2006. The repairs
and modifications took more than three and a half
years and 36,000 man-hours.
Below: Volkel-based F-16AM J-646 at the start of
another FWIT mission, carrying a non-explosive
training version of the laser-guided GBU-12 bomb.

Above: This Norwegian Falcon 20ECM of 717 Skvadron/FEKS flew jamming missions for FWIT in the
third week of June. Below: In the final week of the air-to-air phase, 336 Squadron’s C-130H G-781
operated out of Leeuwarden to fly tactical missions in FWIT and TWIC, hence the two AN/ALQ-131
jamming pods under the wings.

AFM