The squadron’s F-16s are kept to the
same modiication standard as operational
aircraft in the Netherlands, with recent
updates incorporating the AIM-9X
Sidewinder and Sniper targeting pod.
INSTRUCTOR AND
REFRESHER TRAINING
The 148th FS provides instructor and
refresher courses of various lengths,
depending on a pilot’s previous experience,
which is especially relevant to the fast-paced
instructor training courses. A pilot new to
this role can expect a course of around 25
lights, whereas a fast jet instructor who
hasn’t lown the F-16 might require only
ten sorties. Just four hours are deemed
necessary for a ‘Viper’ instructor who has
been out of the cockpit for a short time.
There are three further refreshers run by
the 148th FS for F-16 pilots. They are the
‘TX1’ two sortie (2.6 hours) short syllabus
for those who haven’t lown for a limited
time; ‘TX2’, comprising eight sorties (9.6
hours) for low-hour aircrew or those out
of currency for a long period, and ‘TX3’,
which involves 22 sorties (26.9 hours), for
seasoned ighter pilots who have not lown
Dutch F-16s previously.
There are occasional ad hoc arrangements
too, such as last year when the unit trained a
new Norwegian pilot to assist that country’s
shortage of ‘Viper’ aircrew.
Additionally, the unit sometimes
undertakes operational test and evaluation
(OT&E) tasks. For example, in 2017 it
cleared the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb
for operational use with the KLu.
Graduates from the training unit
were in the thick of the action when the
Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16s were
heavily involved in combat operations in
Afghanistan from 2002 until July 2014.From October of that year to July 2016
eight aircraft were deployed to Jordan to
ly missions over Iraq and Syria as part of
Operation Inherent Resolve. In January
2018 ‘Vipers’ were once again deployed
to Jordan to operate against so-called
Islamic State.
Lt Col Luysterburg said current F-16
training numbers are stable with the
introduction of the F-35 Lightning II yet
to make much of an impact on the 148
FS’s work. Since 2015, the squadron
has been periodically working with the
two F-35As of the KLu’s 323 Test and
Evaluation Squadron based at Edwards
AFB, California, for example to determine
how F-16s can beneit from the Lightning IIs
advanced sensor capabilities.
The current plan is for the KLu to retire
the F-16 in 2025. The CO stated: “We
expect to be training F-16 pilots here at
Tucson until around 2022.”http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 69
Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35s and 148th FS F-16s periodically work together in the US.
New pilot, instructor and refresher courses are all provided by the training squadron.