The new VIP aircraft for the Royal Netherlands Air Force landed at Eindhoven Air Base on Wednesday March 15, 2023. The aircraft is a second-hand Gulfstream 650ER which will replace the old Gulfstream IV. This aircraft is now 36 years old and suffers from technical issues due to its age. The new Gulfstream VI is a 2014 copy with only two thousand flight hours on the clock. The aircraft received V-117 as registration.
Next to the PH-GOV, a Boeing 737 Business Jet, the Gulfstream VI is the largest aircraft that the Dutch government has at its disposal. It is mainly used to transport the political, military and civil service top of the Dutch Ministry of Defense, such as the defense minister. An important difference with the PH-GOV is that the Gulfstream is flown by military personnel. The plane is therefore also allowed to fly to conflict areas.
The newest acquisition of the Dutch Defense has yet to be equipped with a self-protection system. For this purpose, the Gulfstream VI will be flown to AMAC Aerospace in Basel, Switzerland, on March 31, 2023. The aircraft is expected to return in the second half of July. Then the Air Force will use the aircraft in operational service at the no 334 Squadron at Eindhoven Air Base.
This is a subscription only section
Want to read more? It's only €10/year.
No account yet? Just Create an account first and head to the shop