F-35s operate at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and test the use of civil infrastructure during NATO exercise

English Posted on  —by Carro e motos
F-35s operate at Schiphol and test the use of a civil airport during NATO exercise
F-35s operate at Schiphol and test the use of a civil airport during NATO exercise (X @Defensie)

Four F-35 fighter jets from the Royal Netherlands Air Force operated from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam during the Avatar exercise conducted by NATO.

The activity, held on January 27 and 28, marked the first time that the country’s largest and busiest civil airport hosted this type of military operation, with the jets operating alongside approximately 1,100 daily commercial flights.

The initiative aimed to test Schiphol’s capacity to function as an alternative base should military airfields become unavailable in a crisis or conflict scenario. This proposal aligns with the concept of aerial asset dispersion and Agile Combat Employment, which seeks to increase operational unpredictability and reduce vulnerabilities by avoiding the concentration of aircraft in a few known bases.

During the two days, the F-35s conducted several sorties, including an aerial refueling mission over the North Sea with the support of a multinational MRTT tanker aircraft. The operations occurred without interfering with civil traffic, the result of intense coordination between the Air Force, the airport, air traffic control, and local authorities. The impact on passengers was almost imperceptible, although residents noticed a temporary increase in noise.

The exercise also highlighted the evolution of F-35 operations in Europe. While initially the fighter required isolated areas within military bases due to the sensitivity of its systems, today the priority is to ensure flexibility and operational continuity, even from civil infrastructures.

The Schiphol experience may pave the way for the use of other regional airports in the future, enhancing the integration between civil and military sectors in defense scenarios.

Source: The Aviationist | Photo: X @Defensie | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

Back to top