In May 2016, the F-35 landed on Dutch soil for the first time, fulfilling a promise Dutch defence minister Jeanine Hennis-Passchaert made the previous year to show the nation the new fifth-gen fighter. 

Taken at an undisclosed location in the U.S. in December 2017 by photographer Dafydd Philips, the following cool video is a photoshoot arranged by Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) to promote the F-35A Lightning II, the service fifth-gen fighter aircraft.

As one of the original nine partner nations for the F-35, and the second international partner to receive the F-35, the Netherlands continues to be a key contributor to the development, production and sustainment of the F-35 program.

(This first appeared in July 2019.)

The Dutch Parliament approved an order for eight Lockheed Martin F-35As in March 2015, confirming the aircraft as the official replacement for the F-16 for the RNLAF. This lot of eight F-35s will be delivered in 2019. The current program of record for the Netherlands is for up to 37 aircraft.

In May 2016, the F-35 landed on Dutch soil for the first time, fulfilling a promise Dutch defence minister Jeanine Hennis-Passchaert made the previous year to show the nation the new fifth-gen fighter. While in the Netherlands, the F-35 performed several “experience flights” to allow the Dutch public to evaluate the difference between the F-35 and legacy fighters, the F-16, noise levels. According to Lockheed Martin the test results showed negligible differences between the two jets’ noise levels.

Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviation Geek Club” one of the world’s most read military aviation blogs. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force.

Photo credit: Dafydd Philips.