The Netherlands Ministry of Defence and Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) have officially declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for their F-35A Lightning II fleet. With this announcement the Netherlands becomes the eighth country and 12th military service to declare IOC for its F-35A Lightning II fleet.
«The declaration of IOC ushers in a new era of air power that gives the RNLAF transformational capabilities», F-35 Program Vice President and General Manager Bridget Lauderdale said. «I am proud of the Lockheed Martin team’s commitment to delivering the most effective, survivable and connected fighter to our partners in the Netherlands».
The most advanced fighter jet ever built, the F-35A Lightning II offers the RNLAF unmatched air superiority. Using its sensors and low observable technology, the F-35A Lightning II can operate with impunity in contested airspace and fuse a picture of the battlespace for other air, land and sea assets. Along with its advanced weapons capacity and superior range, the F-35A Lightning II offers unparalleled combat capabilities. The F-35A Lightning II will ensure the RNLAF can protect the national interest of the Netherlands and contribute to critical regional allied deterrence missions for decades to come.
The F-35A Lightning II program is leveraging the Netherlands’ industrial experience and expertise gained on the F-16 Fighting Falcon program to contribute to the technology development and production of the F-35 Lightning II. Every F-35A Lightning II contains components manufactured by Dutch companies, with more than 25 suppliers from across Dutch industry contributing to the program. With the introduction of advanced technologies, Dutch industry is strategically positioned to participate in the production of more than 3,000 F-35 Lightning II aircraft over the life of the program.
A total of 24 F-35As have been delivered to the RNLAF, and RNLAF crews have surpassed more than 9,085 flight hours to date, with 55 pilots and 262 maintainers supporting the fleet.
With more than 730 aircraft operating from 29 bases and ships across the globe, the F-35 Lightning II plays a critical role in today’s global security environment. More than 1,535 pilots and 11,500 maintainers have been trained on the aircraft. Nine nations have F-35s operating from their home soil.
F-35A SPECIFICATIONS
| Length | 51.4 feet/15.7 m |
| Height | 14.4 feet/4.38 m |
| Wingspan | 35 feet/10.7 m |
| Wing area | 460 feet2/42.7 m2 |
| Horizontal tail span | 22.5 feet/6.86 m |
| Weight empty | 29,300 lbs./13,290 kg |
| Internal fuel capacity | 18,250 lbs./8,278 kg |
| Weapons payload | 18,000 lbs./8,160 kg |
| Maximum weight | 70,000 lbs. class/31,751 kg |
| Standard internal weapons load | two AIM-120C air-to-air missiles;
two 2,000-pound/907 kg GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guided bombs |
| Propulsion (uninstalled thrust ratings) | F135-PW-100 |
| Maximum Power (with afterburner) | 43,000 lbs./191,3 kN/19,507 kgf |
| Military Power (without afterburner) | 28,000 lbs./128,1 kN/13,063 kgf |
| Engine Length | 220 in/5.59 m |
| Engine Inlet Diameter | 46 in/1.17 m |
| Engine Maximum Diameter | 51 in/1.30 m |
| Bypass Ratio | 0.57 |
| Overall Pressure Ratio | 28 |
| Speed (full internal weapons load) | Mach 1.6 (~1,043 knots/1,200 mph/1,931 km/h) |
| Combat radius (internal fuel) | >590 NM/679 miles/1,093 km |
| Range (internal fuel) | >1,200 NM/1,367 miles/2,200 km |
| Maximum g-rating | 9.0 |
Planned Quantities
| U.S. Air Force | 1,763 |
| Italy | 60 |
| Netherlands | 46 |
| Australia | 72 |
| Belgium | 34 |
| Norway | 52 |
| Poland | 32 |
| Denmark | 27 |
| Finland | 64 |
| Canada | 65 |
| Israel | 75 |
| South Korea | 60 |
| Japan | 105 |
| Switzerland | 36 |
| In total | 2,491 |