|
|
| Home | Exercises and reports | Aircraft | Countries | Air Show | Defence budget and review | Publications | Contact |
| Royal Netherlands Air Force and Naval Air Service squadrons 1990 - present |
| Latest update: April 2019 |
| Below overview is based on the squadrons active from 1990 (when I started with photographing military aircraft). |
The Royal Netherlands Air Force celebrates its anniversary annually on July 1st with a ceremony and missing man formation at former Soesterberg Air Base. Military aviation in The Netherlands began at Soesterberg - known as the Bakermat (cradle) - on July 1, 1913. After several changes the Royal Netherlands Air Force officially stood up in 1953 with the Air Force receiving its royal designation. The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) inherited squadrons from its Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) and Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) colleagues: In 1993 The Royal Netherlands Army transferred its 298, 299 and 300 squadrons which formed the Groep Lichte Vliegtuigen (GPLV - light aircraft group) to the RNLAF. Until 1995 the squadrons formed the Groep Helicopters Koninklijke Luchtmacht (GPHKLu - RNLAF Helicopter Group) which transferred into the Tactische Helicopter Groep (THG - Tactical Helicopter Group) in 1995. The RNLAF stood up the Defensie Helikopter Command (DHC - Defence Helicopter Command) with its headquarters at Gilze-Rijen Air Base merging all defence helicopters operations of the RNLAF and RNLN into a single command on July 10, 2008. The Marine Luchtvaart Dienst (MLD - Navy aviation service) - transferred its 7 and 860 squadrons to the DHC. Its 320 squadron based at Naval Air Base Valkenburg already deactivated early 2005 with its 13 P-3C Orions sold to Germany (eight) and Portugal (five). Except the flying squadrons the RNLAF fields squadrons at its air bases specialized in aircraft maintenance and air base services (ATC, fire dept. etc). |
| Anniversaries: 2019 |
| 25 years: C-130 Hercules in Royal Netherlands
Air Force service. 40 years: F-16 Fighting Falcon in Royal Netherlands Air Force service. One F-16 to receive an anniversary color scheme. 70 years: 7 squadron December 23. 75 years: 334 squadron July 7. |
| Anniversaries: 2018 |
| 10 years: Defence Helicopter Command July 10. 30 years: 131 (EMVO) squadron October 10. 65 years: 313 squadron December 1. 70 years: 323 TES November 15. 75 years: 322 squadron June 12. 75 years: 860 squadron June 15. 100 years: MVK De Kooy celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018. Note: 323 squadron deactivated at as an F-16 squadron af Leeuwarden on Friday October 31, 2014 and was reactivated at Eglin AFB, Florida as 323 TES on Tuesday November 4, 2014. Anniversary aircraft: 322 squadron: F-16AM J-879. Photograph not available. 323 squadron: F-35A F-002. Photograph not available.
|
| Photo gallery |
 |
 |
 |
| 131 (EMVO) squadron | 298 squadron CH-47D | 299 squadron |
 |
 |
 |
| 300 squadron | 301 squadron | 303 squadron |
 |
 |
 |
| 306 squadron | 311 squadron | 312 squadron |
 |
 |
 |
| 313 squadron | 314 squadron | 315 squadron |
 |
 |
 |
| 316 squadron | 320 squadron (MARPAT) | 322 squadron |
 |
 |
 |
| 323 squadron (323 TES) | 334 squadron | 334 squadron |
 |
 |
|
| 336 squadron | 7 / 860 squadron |
| Comment(s): 7 squadron: During its history the squadron was (de-)activated several times. Operational history: December 1949 - 1951 ; July 1955 - 1961 ; 1962 - present. Current: responsible for training of aircrews, maintenance personnel and other personnel working with the NH90-NFH from ships (flight deck crews, boarding teams, medics). Furthermore the squadron is responsible for test and evaluation. 131 (EMVO) squadron: Current: basic pilot training. 298 squadron: Inherited the tradition from No. 6 Dutch Auster Squadron and No. 1 Artillery Reconnaisance department. 299 squadron: The squadron deactivated as an operational squadron (BO-105) on January 13, 2003 and was activated again on July 4, 2008 as a training squadron without own aircraft. Current: responsible for the training of helicopter crews in the Netherlands and borrows aircraft from the operational squadrons when required. 306 squadron: The squadron will be reactivated in 2018 at Leeuwarden Air Base. From 2021 it will be fielded with the MQ-9 Reaper of which four will be purchased. 334 squadron: Its two KDC-10 aircraft will be withdrawn from service in 2020 once the two A330MRTTs have arrived at Eindhoven AB. These will be assigned to NATO MFF. Based on the defence white paper published in April 2018 its sole Gulfstream G-IV will be replaced by a yet to be selected new VIP aircraft to enter service in 2022. 336 squadron: The squadron was active until the 1990s operating two F-27.200MAR from Curaçao, Dutch Antilles and reactivated to operate the C-130 Hercules fleet transferred from 334 squadron. |
| RNLAF anniversary markings |
 |
 |
 |
| 131 EMVO squadron 2018 | 312 squadron 2011 | 312 squadron 2011 |
 |
|
 |
| 313 squadron 2013 | 314 squadron 1993 | 315 squadron 2002 |
|
|
 |
 |
| 316 squadron 1993 | 322 squadron 1993 | 322 squadron 2008 |
 |
 |
 |
| 322 squadron 2008 | 322 squadron 2013 | 322 squadron 2013 |
 |
 |
|
| 323 squadron 2013 | 323 squadron 2013 |
 |
