Dark clouds gathered on Friday afternoon, September 27, when seven Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16s, assigned to 312 Squadron, took off for their final flight. Their return at Volkel Air Base marked the end of 45 years of operating the F-16 within the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The weather did not play ball and the route over the Netherlands had to be rescheduled due to the storm, which resulted in a disappointment for many people who were waiting for the formation to come by.
The Commander of the Air Combat Command taxied his F-16AM with serial J-197 to a parking spot in front of the guests that witnessed the official hand over of the F-16 tasks to the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Lt.Gen. André Steur.
F-16AM with serial J-197 received a special livery for the occasion. Besides a large number 45, every squadron that flew the F-16 was mentioned on the tail, including 148 Fighter Squadron, based at Tucson International Airport, Az. The area of operations in which the Dutch F-16s participated were mentioned as well.
F-16AM, with serial J-616, has not been airworthy for a while, but received a special livery celebrating 50 years of F-16 which was sponsored by Lockheed Martin and displayed at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, UK for the first time in July 2024. J-616 will be preserved on base.
A few days earlier, both the F-16s could be photographed at Volkel Air Base. Flanked by their predecessor, the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter and their successor, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II.
Eighteen F-16s will be delivered to the Air Force Capability Coalition (AFCC) In Romania. Another twenty-four will be handed over the Ukrainian Air Force.