Koninklijke Luchtmacht
Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF)
The Air Force can be deployed rapidly anywhere for various purposes. It conducts peace and humanitarian operations in the Netherlands and abroad. It can also take military action, or threaten to do so, in order to maintain stability and the international legal order. The Air Force assists civil authorities, in the Netherlands or abroad, to enforce the law and respond to disasters. And it helps maintain the integrity of the air space and territory of the Netherlands and allied countries.
The Air Force has advanced equipment and well trained personnel. Its F-16 fighter aircraft can be deployed in advanced air defence, precision attacks on ground targets and aerial reconnaissance. It deploys transport and fighter aircraft and attack helicopters in the Netherlands and abroad for various purposes, including reconnaissance, attacking ground targets, transporting personnel and equipment, evacuating medical patients and others in need, and rescuing persons in distress.
Its air transport and tanker fleet helps keep the Dutch armed forces tactically and strategically mobile. Two Fokker 60 aircraft are temporarily deployed in the Netherlands Antilles to carry out aerial reconnaissance for the Coast Guard of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba and the Dutch Coast Guard.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) published the first version of its Air Power Doctrine (APD) in 1996. The RNLAF relied mainly on the NATO view of the role of air power and the other elements of air forces as well as on the opinions of the main Allies.
Fighter aircraft (Leeuwarden and Volkel)105 F-16 fighter aircraft (108 minus 3 lost)Helicopters (Gilze-Rijen, Soesterberg, Leeuwarden) 24 Apache attack helicopters11 Chinook heavy transporthelicopters (6 more on order, final delivery 2010)17 Cougar medium-heavy transport helicopters4 Alouette personal transport helicopters3 AB-412 search-and-rescue helicoptersTransport aircraft (Eindhoven)2 KDC10 transport-/tanker aircraft1 DC10 (undergoing modification; deployable in late 2008)2 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft(2 more on order, delivery in late 2008)2 Fokker 50 passenger-/transport aircraft2 Fokker 60-MPA (at the service of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Coastguard November 2007)1 Gulfstream G-IV
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5051Training aircraft13 PC-7 PilatusGround Based Air Defence (De Peel)4 Patriot Fire Platoons (20 launchers) with Stinger guided missiles for self-defence
THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS AIR FORCE
The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) forms a part of the Allied air defense system for
Western Europe and the Allied Tactical Air Forces which provide air support to NATO ground
forces. The primary mission of the RNLAF is ground attack and strike, with a secondary mission
of day, clear-air-mass air defense.
For its part, the RNLAF is undergoing major modernization programs in its aircraft and air
defense systems, such as acquiring and flying the F-16 aircraft as its front line fighter. Upgrading
its F-16 warfighting capability, the RNLAF has purchased the Operational Capabilities Upgrade
(OCU) package for all F- 16 aircraft. OCU improvements include expanded computer capability
with future growth potential, a beyond-visual range missile capability, data load capability, low-
altitude safety enhancement (combined radar altimeter), and aircraft/radar software update. A
comprehensive mid-life upgrade program was also planned for the mid-1990s.
In conjunction with other improvements to the F-16, the RNLAF is seeking to expand its air
defense role. Long-range planning, as noted, includes further improvements to the F-16 in the
mid-1990s, the addition of an identification system, and procurement of an advanced medium
range air-to-air missile.
Further, the RNLAF has embarked on a program to upgrade its ground based NATO air
defense system with the acquisition of Patriot missile fire units, the first of which became
operational in April 1987. The RNLAF plans to acquire additional Patriot fire units for defense of
The Netherlands territory and inclusion in NATO's integrated rear area air defense system.
Support and training within the RNLAF are provided through separate Air Logistics and
Training Commands. The RNLAF possesses an indigenous depot capability for jet engines and
major electronic components, with a limited depot-level airframe capability. Major airframe and
system repair capability is provided through private industry in The Netherlands. Supply and
distribution are accomplished by the Logistics Command and Training Command as well as all
technical and other training by the Training Command.
