On 14 July, the Royal Netherlands Air Force has received two more F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters at Leeuwarden Air Base, with some delay due to the covid-19 lockdown in Italy, where the aircraft were built.

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Lockheed Martin F-35A of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Picture source: Royal Netherlands Air Force)

According to Scramble Magazine, the new F-35 fighters (serials F-011 and F-012, radio call sign Netherlands Air Force 322) arrived on Tuesday, July 14. Leeuwarden air base now hosts four F-35As.

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-16s for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. In May 2016, the F-35 landed on Dutch soil for the first time, showing the nation their new 5th Gen fighters. 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 the F-16. The test results showed namely negligible differences between the noise levels of these two aircraft.