Proven concept
Lt Col Ronald (full name withheld
for security reasons), head of
operations at Leeuwarden and
supervisor of this year’s Frisian Flag,
told AFM: “By now, the concept
of the exercise is well proven and
successful. The most significant
change compared to the past few
years is the larger variety of aircraft
types – we’ve had years when more
than half of the participating aircraft
were F-16s and it’s been many
years since we’ve had MiG-29s.
They fly exclusively as opposing
forces, like the Skyhawks.”
The A-4N Skyhawks are flown
by Canadian firm Top Aces from
Wittmund in northern Germany, on
a five-year contract in support of
the German military. Having the
A-4s conduct Red Air missions
enabled the Luftwaffe Eurofightersto fly a relatively large proportion
of their sorties as part of the
friendly forces, or Blue Air.
Similarly, Polish F-16s
could concentrate on Blue
Air missions as the Polish Air
Force sent MiG-29s this year
as dedicated Red Air assets.Polish MiGs
Engaging real MiG-29s in simulated
air combat is certainly more
beneficial than flying against other
types ‘pretending’ to be Fulcrums,
a fact confirmed by several pilots
at Frisian Flag 2018. The last
time MiG-29s took part was in
2000, when the Luftwaffe was still
flying former East German jets.
The Polish MiGs in this year’s
edition were from the 23. Baza
Lotnictwa Taktycznego (23rd
Tactical Air Base) at Mińsk
Mazowiecki, where they are
flown by the 1. eskadra lotnictwa
taktycznego (1st Tactical Air
Squadron). The detachment
at Leeuwarden comprised
30 personnel – among them
seven pilots – and three
jets, including one spare.
Detachment commander Maj
Bartosz Kida, the deputy CO of
the MiG squadron at Mińsk, has
been flying MiGs for more than
ten years, accumulating some
800 flying hours on the type. He
told AFM: “I have always flown
MiG-29s, and I love [the jet]. It’s aNorth Sea battle
Above: The Polish MiG-29As participated as dedicated Red Air assets. Since
the MiGs cannot refuel in the air and carried only a centreline fuel tank, they
were often among the last jets to take off and the fi rst to return to Leeuwarden.
Below: On April 19, 322 TACTESS F-16AM J-017 deployed its drag ’chute on
recovery to Leeuwarden after a reported brake pressure problem. Ben Ikinhttp://www.airforcesmonthly.com #364 JULY 2018 // 73This year saw another record-
breaking Frisian Flag exercise
in the Netherlands. Kees van
der Mark visited Leeuwarden
Air Base to report on this ever
popular multinational event.