From Monday, October 2 to Friday, October 13, 2023, the international flying exercise Frisian Flag 2023 will take place at Leeuwarden Air Base.

For two weeks, participants will practice complex missions in an international context. Twice a day, about 30 to 40 aircraft will choose the airspace for a training mission. Flight movements take place Monday through Friday between 08:00 and 17:00.

During Frisian Flag 2023, pilots are prepared for a variety of situations involving international operations. In complex missions, both attack and air defense are trained. In the latter, the goal is to deny enemy fighters access to a given area. There are also training missions to eliminate targets on the ground or at sea. This is then done in concert with units of the Army or Navy, known as joint terminal attack controllers.

During Frisian Flag, use is made of the large existing military training area above the North Sea and Northern Netherlands.

Aircraft involved in Frisian Flag 2023 from Leeuwarden Air Base.

19-5493/LN F-35A US Air Force
20-5614/LN F-35A US Air Force
20-5617/LN F-35A US Air Force
22-5683/LN F-35A US Air Force

30+52 EF2000 Luftwaffe
31+27 EF2000 Luftwaffe
31+33 EF2000 Luftwaffe
31+34 EF2000 Luftwaffe
31+38 EF2000 Luftwaffe
31+47 EF2000 Luftwaffe
31+52 EF2000 Luftwaffe
31+53 EF2000 Luftwaffe

F-010 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-019 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-020 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-021 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-023 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-024 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-025 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-028 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-029 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-030 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht
F-031 F-35A Koninklijke Luchtmacht

FA 56 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht
FA 83 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht
FA 86 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht
FA 91 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht
FA110 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht
FA129 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht
FA132 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht
FA133 F-16AM Belgische Luchtmacht

HN-445 F/A-18C Ilmavoimat
HN-404 F/A-18C Ilmavoimat
HN-422 F/A-18C Ilmavoimat

Royal Netherlands Air Force participation includes the F-35A and F-16 fighters, Apache combat helicopters and the NH90 maritime combat helicopter. The C-130 Hercules transport aircraft is also part of the air fleet. Furthermore, tankers of the Multinational MRTT Unit fly from Eindhoven Air Base. The Royal Netherlands Navy is participating in Frisian Flag with the air defense and command frigate Zr.Ms. De Zeven Provinciën and multipurpose frigate Zr.Ms. Van Amstel.

Danish F-16s from Danish home base and British F-35B fighter aircraft from aircraft carrier Queen Elisabeth II, accompanied by other ships.

The Dutch and Danish Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) will have command over the entire exercise area.

323 SQN/Air Combat Development Centre (ACDC) is responsible for the organisation of Frisian Flag, together with the expertise centre in the area of operations with (fighter) aircraft at Leeuwarden Air Base.

No Frisian Flag will take place in 2024 due to busy operations at Leeuwarden Air Base.

Photos Jeroen Vogelaar and Rob Vogelaar.