Exercise reports

Frisian Flag 2022

By Gostar den Daas | April 2022
Two-week combined NATO exercise.

After two years of (Covid) absence, Frisian Flag was back at Leeuwarden Air Base. This year’s participants included Canadian CF-188 (F/A-18) from 425 squadron, Aviano based Vipers from the 510th FS, French Mirages and Rafales and Italian F-2000s and Tornado’s. Germany and the UK also participated, although flying from their home bases. A first this edition was the participation of the F-35.

The NATO exercise held in a two-week period (28 March - 8 April 2022), consists of two sorties a day exercising several attack and defend scenario’s.

Unfortunately, the weather conditions were bad, with the better days at the beginning of the first week. It even snowed on one day. The morning wave on Thursday in the second week was cancelled due to the heavy rain. Runway 05 was in use most of the time.

2nd Wave

As the weather cleared up in the afternoon, we start this report with the afternoon wave (First landing, followed by take-off). Unlike the 1st wave (shown below), only 2 CF-188s joined. The French Rafales and Italian Tornado’s joined only in the second wave.


89-2018 / AV, F-16

89-2047 / AV, F-16

-, F-16

88-0444 / AV, F-16

89-2030 / AV, F-16

MM7040 / 6-21, Tornado

MM7040 / 6-21, Tornado

MM7039 / 6-33, Tornado

MM7039 / 6-33, Tornado

J-368, F-16

J-144, F-16

J-144, F-16

J-509, F-16

-, F-16

J-008, F-16

J-146, F-16

J-146, F-16

-, Mirage 2000

685 / 3-XZ, Mirage 2000

685 / 3-XZ, Mirage 2000

677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000

677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000

629 / 3-XO, Mirage 2000

630 / 3-XD, Mirage 2000

630 / 3-XD, Mirage 2000

-, Rafale

88-0521 / AV, F-16

-, F-16

35, Rafale

32, Rafale

32, Rafale

89-2102 / AV, F-16

89-2102 / AV, F-16

89-2102 / AV, F-16

89-2026 / AV, F-16

88-0443 / AV, F-16

88-0443 / AV, F-16

F-011, F-35

F-011, F-35

F-020, F-35

F-020, F-35

F-020, F-35

188742, CF-188

188742, CF-188

188742, CF-188

188797, CF-188

188797, CF-188

F-023, F-35

F-023, F-35

F-024, F-35

F-024, F-35

G-FRAW, Falcon 20

G-FRAW, Falcon 20

105 / XK, TBM-700

G-FRAW, Falcon 20

F-023, F-35

F-023, F-35

F-023, F-35

F-023, F-35

F-024, F-35

J-368, F-16

J-368, F-16

J-008, F-16

J-008, F-16

MM7040 / 6-21, Tornado

MM7039 / 6-33, Tornado

MM7039 / 6-33, Tornado

32, Rafale

MM7040 / 6-21, Tornado

MM7040 / 6-21, Tornado

35, Rafale

32, Rafale

88-0444 / AV, F-16

89-2030 / AV, F-16

89-2047 / AV, F-16

89-2018 / AV, F-16

F-011, F-35

F-020, F-35

685 / 3-XZ, Mirage 2000

677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000

629 / 3-XO, Mirage 2000

630 / 3-XD, Mirage 2000

629 / 3-XO, Mirage 2000

630 / 3-XD, Mirage 2000

677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000

630 / 3-XD, Mirage 2000

89-2102 / AV, F-16

89-2026 / AV, F-16

88-0443 / AV, F-16

88-0521 / AV, F-16

188742, CF-188

188797, CF-188

188797, CF-188

188797, CF-188

188797, CF-188

After all participants returned to the base a French TBM-700 arrived.

1st Wave

The morning wave included four CF-188s and two F-2000s from the Italian Air Force, the later not flying in the afternoon wave. Three visitors arrived during the morning, an Italian P180, USAF C-21 and a Finnish PC-12. The Fin unfortunately landed on the secondary (27) runway, so out of photo sight.

Another nice catch on the 29 March were the 2 Lakenheath F-35s from 495th FS. They stayed for the day, not participation in the 2nd wave.


F-020, F-35

F-024, F-35

89-2030 / AV, F-16

636 / 3-JV, Mirage 2000

629 / 3-XO, Mirage 2000

677 / 3-JT, Mirage 2000

630 / 3-XD, Mirage 2000

J-008, F-16

J-008, F-16

J-509, F-16

MM7320 / 51-02, F-2000

MM7356 / 51-06, F-2000

MM7356 / 51-06, F-2000

188742, CF-188

188756, CF-188

188769, CF-188

89-2018 / AV, F-16

84-0087, C-21

188756, CF-188

188756, CF-188

188769, CF-188

188797, CF-188

188797, CF-188

188797, CF-188

88-0521 / AV, F-16

89-2026 / AV, F-16

19-5475 / LN, F-35

19-5475 / LN, F-35

19-5486 / LN, F-35

19-5486 / LN, F-35

89-2102 / AV, F-16

MM7320 / 51-02, F-2000

MM7320 / 51-02, F-2000

MM7356 / 51-06, F-2000

MM7356 / 51-06, F-2000

636 / 3-JV, Mirage 2000

MM62286, P180

MM62286, P180

89-2018 / AV, F-16

188742, CF-188

188742, CF-188

188756, CF-188

188769, CF-188

188797, CF-188

88-0521 / AV, F-16

89-2026 / AV, F-16

F-011, F-35

F-024, F-35

G-FRAW, Falcon 20

F-020, F-35

J-368, F-16

89-2102 / AV, F-16

89-2102 / AV, F-16

Draken provided a Falcon 20C ECM jammer, which participated in all waves.

Log

Aircraft participating or visiting on 29 March.

Serial Aircraft Unit/Notes
636/3-JVMirage 2000DEC02.003
677/3-JTMirage 2000DEC02.003
630/3-XDMirage 2000DEC01.003
629/3-XOMirage 2000DEC03.003
685/3-XZMirage 2000DEC01.003
35Rafale METR03.004
32Rafale M11F
MM7320/51-02F-2000A132 Gruppo
MM7356/51-06F-2000A132 Gruppo
MM7040/6-21Tornado IDS6 Stormo GEA
MM7039/6-33Tornado IDS6 Stormo GEA
188742CF-188425 sq
188756CF-188425 sq
188769CF-188433 sq
188797CF-188425 sq
88-0444/AVF-16CM510th FS
89-2030/AVF-16CM510th FS
89-2047/AVF-16CM510th FS
89-2018/AVF-16CM510th FS
88-0443/AVF-16CM510th FS
88-0521/AVF-16CM510th FS
89-2026/AVF-16CM510th FS
89-2102/AV *F-16CM510th FS
F-011F-35A322 sqn
F-020F-35A322 sqn
F-023F-35A322 sqn
F-024F-35A313 sqn
J-008F-16AM312 sqn
J-146F-16AM312 sqn
J-144F-16AM312 sqn
J-509F-16AM312 sqn
J-368F-16BM312 sqn
G-FRAWFalcon 20CDraken
84-0087 **C-21A76th AS
19-5475/LN **F-35A495th FS
19-5486/LN **F-35A495th FS
MM62286 **P18093 Gruppo
PI-06 **PC-12TukiLLv
105/XK **TBM-700AET00.043

* Have Glass c/s.
** Visitor.

Not seen on 29 March, but participating in the exercise on other days: F-16CM 88-0413, 89-2046, 89-2011 and 89-2057. CF-188 188787, Rafale M 6, and F-35A F-019.

Aviation Group Leeuwarden in collaboration with the Dutch Air Force again organized great spotting facilities, with parking, toilets and a burger stand next to the runway.

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