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Falcon Leap 2020
 
Latest update: September 2020
 
The annual Falcon Leap exercise organized by Royal Netherlands Army 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade (11 Air Mobile Brigade) was held from September 7 - 18. Falcon Leap was divided into two weeks with the first week (Sept. 7 - 11) dedictated to Cargo Delivery System (CDS) drops and the second week (Sept. 15 - 18) dedicated to the Para Jump Exercise (PJE).

Cargo drops can only be conducted on a few military installations. For this years edition both Deelen (military reserve aviation terrain) and Oldebroek (artillery range 't Harde) were planned to be used. Three missions per day were scheduled with the airspace reserved in two hours blocks: 10.00 - 12.00 ; 14.00 - 16.00 and 18.00 - 20.00.

Both the French and USAF Hercules arrived on Monday September 7. Despite the weather conditions on the Monday the afternoon and evening sortie were not flown. On Tuesday and Wednesday all CDS drops were cancelled due to the cloud ceiling. The French and Netherlands C-130's flew a local mission but the USAF Hercules departed back to Ramstein AB during the Tuesday. On Thursday all three blocks were used. The French KC-130J departed back home on Friday early afternoon.

COVID-19 (corona): due to the ongoing corona situation the RNLA and RNLAF decided to keep the information to a minimum in order to not expose the participating paratroopers and other personnel to non participating people. For the same reason a media day wasn't organized.
 
Article exercise Falcon Leap 2020 Photo gallery: CDS (Deelen) Photo gallery: PJE (Ginkelse heide)
     
Photo gallery Eindhoven air base    
   
 
Participants Falcon Leap 2020
 
Operating from Eindhoven Air Base: Week 1 Cargo Delivery System (CDS) drop
Country: Aircraft: No. aircraft: Squadron / Wing: Airbase: Comments:
           
France KC-130J 1 ET 02.061 Base Aérienne 123 Orléans  
Netherlands C-130H 2 336 squadron Eindhoven  
  C-130H.30 1 336 squadron Eindhoven  
United States C-130H 1 700 AS, 94 AW Dobbins AFB, Georgia  
           
Total   5
Operating from Eindhoven Air Base: Week 2 Para Jump Exercise (PJE)
Country: Aircraft: No. aircraft: Squadron / Wing: Airbase: Comments:
           
Belgium C-130H 1 20 Smaldeel Melsbroek  
Germany C-160D 1 LTG 63 Hohn  
Netherlands C-130H 2 336 squadron Eindhoven  
United States C-130H 2 130 AS, 130 AW Charleston / Yeager AP, West Virgina  
United States C-130J.30 1 37 AS, 86 AW Ramstein AB, Germany  
           
Austria SC-7 2 Civilian operator    
Germany M-28-05 2 Civilian operator    
           
Total   11
 
Comment(s):

Week 1:

The missions on the Tuesday and Wednesday were cancelled due to the weather conditions (low cloud base and drizzle). On Monday both the French air force and USAF Hercules arrived. The AFRC C-130H didn't fly missions as it already returned to Ramstein AB on Tuesday.

Week 2:

The Belgian Air Component C-130H arrived during Tuesday and participated in three missions on Wednesday. It then returned back home. One C-130H assigned to the West Virgina ANG didn't fly the third mission on Tuesday and the entire Wednesday as it was unservicable. On the morning of the Thursday the second Hercules arrived and joined the missions from the second wave. Friday early morning saw the arrival of the C-130J.30 assigned to the 37 AS. Two missions were flown (morning and early afternoon). All three USAF C-130's departed back to Ramstein AB during the afternoon.
The Austrian SC-7 Skyvans were operating on behalf of the Czech Republic who participated with their paratroopers.
 
Photo gallery participants 
 
Belgian Air Component C-130H Hercules French Air Force KC-130J Super Hercules German Air Force C-130D Transall
     
Royal Netherlands AF C-130H Hercules USAF ANG C-130H Hercules USAF&AFA C-130J.30 Super Hercules