Every year Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands is home to the combined NATO exercise, Frisian Flag. This year the Bulldogs from Duluth joint. This 179th Fighter Squadron fly’s the dark colored F-16C. Other participants included Dutch, German, French, Swiss and Polish units. In two week’s time, the aircraft flew two sorties a day exercising several scenario’s.
The exercise took place from 1 till 12 April. Thousands of aircraft enthusiasts gathered during this time to see the daily two wave take-offs and landings. Weather conditions were not that great this year and also the wind direction forced the use of runway 05 for most of the days, preventing the spectacular take-off shots.
This year’s exercise wasn’t without incidents. A Polish F-16D 4076 came in too low and hit the ILS antennas at the threshold of the runway 23. The F-16 joined the exercise again a few days later.
G-FRAJ, Falcon 20
31+45, EF2000
J-003, F-16
J-020, F-16
31+05, EF2000
31+33, EF2000
30+98, EF2000
J-003, F-16
J-020, F-16
J-063, F-16
J-063, F-16
J-5026, F/A-18
J-5026, F/A-18
J-5026, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-5007, F/A-18
90-0831, F-16
96-0081, F-16
96-0081, F-16
91-0408, F-16
91-0410, F-16
90-0831, F-16
96-0081, F-16
91-0408, F-16
91-0410, F-16
91-0410, F-16
4073, F-16
4056, F-16
4073, F-16
4056, F-16
4056, F-16
J-871, F-16
J-871, F-16
J-060, F-16
J-362, F-16
J-616, F-16
91-0409, F-16
91-0341, F-16
91-0409, F-16
91-0349, F-16
96-0082, F-16
96-0082, F-16
680 / 3-XM, Mirage 2000
680 / 3-XM, Mirage 2000
680 / 3-XM, Mirage 2000
680 / 3-XM, Mirage 2000
677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000
677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000
677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000
J-144, F-16
J-201, F-16
J-061, F-16
J-144, F-16
J-061, F-16
J-061, F-16
4054, F-16
4061, F-16
4051, F-16
4051, F-16
J-146, F-16
J-5007, F/A-18
J-5003, F/A-18
J-020, F-16
J-063, F-16
J-197, F-16
90-0831, F-16
90-0831, F-16
96-0081, F-16
31+45, EF2000
31+45, EF2000
680 / 3-XM, Mirage 2000
677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000
4054, F-16
4054, F-16
4061, F-16
4051, F-16
J-5026, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-146, F-16
J-017, F-16
J-646, F-16
91-0341, F-16
91-0409, F-16
91-0409, F-16
91-0349, F-16
96-0082, F-16
31+46, EF2000
31+28, EF2000
J-630, F-16
91-0349, F-16
J-630, F-16
J-871, F-16
J-065, F-16
J-197, F-16
91-0349, F-16
96-0082, F-16
J-197, F-16
677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000
635 / 3-AS, Mirage 2000
30+74, EF2000
31+05, EF2000
30+82, EF2000
90-0831, F-16
91-0408, F-16
91-0408, F-16
91-0410, F-16
30+98, EF2000
J-201, F-16
J-135, F-16
J-144, F-16
J-5026, F/A-18
4076, F-16
J-5003, F/A-18
91-0405, F-16
91-0406, F-16
4076, F-16
4051, F-16
4054, F-16
4061, F-16
J-008, F-16
J-017, F-16
J-146, F-16
91-0408, F-16
91-0408, F-16
91-0410, F-16
91-0410, F-16
90-0831, F-16
96-0081, F-16
96-0081, F-16
96-0081, F-16
-, EF2000
30+74, EF2000
31+05, EF2000
31+05, EF2000
30+70, EF2000
30+82, EF2000
J-871, F-16
J-616, F-16
J-616, F-16
J-630, F-16
J-065, F-16
31+33, EF2000
30+98, EF2000
G-FRAJ, Falcon 20
J-201, F-16
J-135, F-16
J-144, F-16
4076, F-16
4076, F-16
4076, F-16
4051, F-16
4051, F-16
4054, F-16
4054, F-16
4061, F-16
4061, F-16
677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000
635 / 3-AS, Mirage 2000
635 / 3-AS, Mirage 2000
635 / 3-AS, Mirage 2000
J-5026, F/A-18
J-5007, F/A-18
J-5007, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-5011, F/A-18
J-5003, F/A-18
J-5003, F/A-18
31+46, EF2000
-, F-16
31+28, EF2000
J-197, F-16
J-197, F-16
J-063, F-16
J-001, F-16
J-646, F-16
91-0341, F-16
91-0341, F-16
91-0349, F-16
91-0349, F-16
91-0349, F-16
96-0082, F-16
96-0082, F-16
J-017, F-16
J-146, F-16
J-146, F-16
Log
Aircraft participating on April 5th.
Serial |
Aircraft |
Unit/Notes |
680/3-XM | Mirage 2000D | EC03.003 |
677/3-JT | Mirage 2000D | EC03.003 |
635/3-AS * | Mirage 2000D | EC03.003 |
31+05 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
31+28 | EF2000T | TLG31 |
31+33 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
31+41 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
31+45 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
31+46 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
30+70 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
30+74 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
30+82 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
30+98 | EF2000 | TLG31 |
4051 | F-16C | 31 Blt. |
4054 | F-16C | 31 Blt. |
4056 | F-16C | 31 Blt. |
4061 | F-16C | 31 Blt. |
4073 | F-16C | 31 Blt. |
4076 ** | F-16D | 31 Blt. |
J-5003 | F/A-18C | FlSt11 |
J-5007 | F/A-18C | FlSt11 |
J-5011 | F/A-18C | FlSt11 |
J-5026 | F/A-18C | FlSt11 |
90-0831 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
91-0341 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
91-0349 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
91-0405 *** | F-16CM | 179th FS |
91-0406 *** | F-16CM | 179th FS |
91-0408 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
91-0409 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
91-0410 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
96-0081 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
96-0082 | F-16CM | 179th FS |
J-001 | F-16AM | 312 sqn |
J-003 | F-16AM | 312 sqn |
J-008 | F-16AM | 313 sqn |
J-017 | F-16AM | 312 sqn |
J-020 | F-16AM | 312 sqn |
J-060 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
J-061 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
J-063 | F-16AM | 313 sqn |
J-065 | F-16BM | 322 sqn |
J-135 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
J-144 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
J-146 | F-16AM | 312 sqn |
J-197 | F-16AM | 312/313 sqn |
J-201 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
J-362 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
J-512 | F-16AM | 312/313 sqn |
J-616 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
J-630 | F-16AM | 312 sqn |
J-646 | F-16AM | |
J-871 | F-16AM | 322 sqn |
G-FRAJ | Falcon 20c | Gobham Aviation Services |
* Aborted mission before take-off.
** Caused ILS damage earlier in the week.
*** Departing for a weekend away in Zagreb
Aviation Group Leeuwarden and the Dutch Air Force again organized great facilities for the spotters, with parking next to the Runway at Marssum, toilets and a burger stand.