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Weapons Instructor Course (WIC) 2021
 
Latest update: October 2021
 
Annually the Royal Netherlands Air Force organizes the Weapons Instructor Course (WIC). WIC 2021 was held from 3 May until 22 October 2021. The WIC exercise is composed of three phases all composed of a theoratical and flying program.

Phase 1: Air-to-Air. Held from May 3 until July 16 (week 18-28). The flying phase started from week 22 (May 31).

Summer break: July 19 - 30 (week 29-30).

Phase 2: Air-to-Ground. Held from August 2 until September 24 (week 31-38).

Phase 3: Mission Employment. Held from September 27 until October 15 (week 39-41. Last week theory).

Officers from non-aviation branches took part for the first time in 2021. Patriot operators, intelligence officers and air battle managers participated to become weapon instructors in their career field.
 

De Weapons Instructor Course 2021 bestaat uit de volgende cursisten:

  • 7x F-35 vlieger, van wie 3 uit Noorwegen die het eerste deel van de WIC in eigen land uitvoerden
  • 6x F-16 vlieger, van wie 4 uit België
  • 5x Intel-officier
  • 3x C-130 vlieger
  • 2x Luchtgevechtsleider, in de WIC Air Battle Manager (AMB) genoemd
  • 2x Patriot-specialist, waarvan 1 officier en 1 onderofficier. Die laatste wordt geen ‘Patch’ maar advanced instructor


 
 
Participants WIC 2021
 
Operating from Leeuwarden Air Base:
Country: Aircraft: No. aircraft: Squadron: Wing: Airbase:
           
Belgium F-16AM 6 1 / 350 smaldeel 2 Tactical Wing Florennes
Germany EF-2000 8   TaktLwG 73 Laage
  Tornado 6   TaktLwG 51 Schleswig-Jagel
  A400M 1   LTG 62 Wunstorf
Netherlands F-16AM 9 312 squadron   Volkel
  F-35A 3 322 squadron   Leeuwarden
  C-130H 1 336 squadron   Eindhoven
Norway F-35A 7 332 Skv 132 Luftving Ørland Air Station
United States F-16C/D 6 480 FS 52 FW Spangdahlem
           
Total   47
 
Comments:

The number of aircraft is based on the aircraft deployed to Leeuwarden. In total seven Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35's were taking part in the exercise. Of these, five were available for flights, two aircraft were swopped during the exercise. The same applies for the Belgian Air Component and the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
480th Fighter Squadron deployed to Leeuwarden on a short-notice Agile Combat Employment exercise from Sept. 10-17. The squadron is specialized in Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD). Using their skills the pilots integrated with the four generation F-16AM's and fifth generation F-35A's flown by the Belgian, Norwegian and Dutch WIC participants.
 
Photo gallery participants 
 
 
Belgian Air Component F-16AM German Air Force EF-2000 TaktLwG 73 German Air Force Tornado TaktLwG 33
     
     
German AF Tornado ECR TaktLwG 51 German AF A400M LTG 62.  RNLAF F-16AM 312 squadron 
     
     
RNLAF F-35A 322 squadron  RNLAF C-130H.30 336 squadron  RNoAF F-35A 332 Skv.