Aviation News – Four F-35 fighter jets of the Royal Netherlands Air Force are operating from Schiphol this week, conducting missions over the North Sea from a civil airport to strengthen national defense readiness. The exercise matters as it prepares the armed forces to remain operational if military bases are unavailable during a conflict.
Patch Avatar 322sq RNethAF
The two-day exercise involves four Dutch F-35s supported by a tanker and a transport aircraft, all operating from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Selected deliberately, the civilian hub provides a realistic setting to test deployment flexibility, with full ground handling carried out on site, including maintenance, refueling and the loading of training munitions, in close cooperation with civilian partners and the Ministry of Defence.
Airbus A330 MRTT T-060 Royal Netherlands Air Force at Schiphol | Jeroen Vogelaar
Operationally, the exercise demonstrates that advanced combat aircraft like the F-35 can safely and effectively operate from non-military infrastructure. Missions are flown over the North Sea, after which aircraft return to Schiphol for complete turnaround procedures, validating logistics, safety protocols and coordination between military and civilian services.
Photo Jeroen Vogelaar and Schiphol Airport