More Lightning IIs for the Dutch
On 28 September 2022, another F-35A with serial F-032 (AN32) for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) was seen making its first test flight at the FACO Cameri factory in Italy. This F-35 is already the 24th F-35 for the RNLAF produced at FACO (Final Assembly and Check-Out facility) and is intended for 313 squadron, based at Volkel.
Since 2019, the F-35As for the Royal Netherlands Air Force have been delivered in a continuous pace. Leeuwarden airbase received fifteen F-35s and since July 2022, 313 squadron also started to receive their Lightning IIs, six of which have already been delivered. Serials F-009 to F-023 are in the inventory of 322 squadron and 313 squadron received the serials F-024 to F-029.
The F-35s are produced in different LRIP-batches (Low Rate Initial Production) with the Dutch Lightning IIs produced in the batch LRIP 3, 4, 11, 12, 13 and 14. Serial F-032 is part of LRIP-14 and consists of the serial range AN-27 till AN-34, meaning another two are left.
In the Defensienota 220 (June 2022), the Netherlands Ministry of Defence announced that an additional order of six F-35s would be placed to fill up a third squadron with F-35A Lightning IIs. This last batch of F-35s will probably be delivered in 2025/2026. The total amount of F-35As destined for the RNLAF is now 52 of which eight are stationed with the 308th FS at Luke AFB (AZ) for training purposes.
Seen here is F-35A F-029 (AN29), coming in to land at Volkel on 31 August 2022.