Lockeed Martin F-35A of the Netherlands

[NICORCC]

Koninklijke Luchtmacht F-35A

The F-35 emerged from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The goal was to replace the F-16 and other tactical fighters with a new “fifth-generation fighter.” The X-35 emerged victorious in the battle against the Boeing X-32. The JSF program became the F-35 Lightning II program.

The Netherlands opted for the F-35 because the F-16s had become obsolete after more than 30 years. The Defense Ministry wants the best equipment for the men and women the Netherlands sends on missions. Furthermore, the involvement of the Dutch business community in the F-35 program is a key reason why the F-35 was chosen. The Netherlands is a Tier 2 partner in the program, along with Italy.

In March 2008, the Netherlands planned to acquire 85 F-35As. Later, due to cost overruns and technical issues with the F-35, the Netherlands reduced its purchase intention to 37 aircraft. The Netherlands will ultimately receive 52 F-35s. The first two F-35s arrived (temporarily) in the Netherlands in mid-2016. There are now 40 (as of September 1, 2024). Of these, 32 are spread across Leeuwarden and Volkel Air Bases, and eight are located at Luke Air Force Base in the U.S. state of Arizona for crew training purposes.

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The six main missions that the F-35 must be capable of performing are:
Air counterattack/offensive sweep
Air defense/anti-cruise missile defense
Suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD)
Air interdiction
Close air support
Non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance

Specifications:

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• Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin.
• Length: 15.67 meters.
• Wingspan: 10.67 meters.
• Number of suspension points: 11 (4 internal, 7 external).
• Empty weight: 13,198 kilograms.
• Maximum takeoff weight: 30,886 kilograms.
• Engine power: 18 tons (40,000 pounds).
• Speed: 1,960 kilometers per hour (1.6 Mach).
• Range: 2,200 kilometers (unrefueled).

Sensors:

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• AN/APG-81 radar, an advanced radar that transmits on multiple frequencies, making it more difficult to detect.
• A next gen infrared target designator & seeker under the nose.
• AN/AAS-37 warning system; Various sensors distributed all around the aircraft, warn of approaching against radar- and infrared-guided missiles.

Armaments:

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• Internal F-35 standard GAU-22/A internal rapid-fire cannon with 181 rounds. 25mm quadruple cannon, 3,300 rounds per minute

Dutch govt purchased specially for F35	internal / total with external hardpoint
Air-to-air :
AIM-9x Block II	2 / up to 4
AIM-120D3 AMRAAM	4 / up to 12
Air to ground :
AGM-88G AARGM-ER	2 / up to 6
AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ER	2 / up to 6
Dutch available from F-16MLU era
Air-to-air :
AIM-9x	2 / up to 4
AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM	4 / up to 12
Air to ground :
GBU-10 Paveway II 2000lb MK84	0 / up to 4
GBU-24A/B Paveway III 2000lb BLU-109/B	0 / up to 4
GBU-16/B Paveway II 1000lb MK83	0 / up to 4 (laser guidance only)
GBU-48(V)1/B Paveway II EGBU-16 1000lb MK83	0 / up to 4 (laser + INS + GPS guidance)
GBU-12/B Paveway II 500lb MK82	2 / up to 10 (laser guidance only)
GBU-49(V)1/B Paveway II EGBU-12 500lb MK82	2 / up to 10 (Laser + GPS guidance)
GBU-31B(V)1/B JDAM 2000lb MK84	2 / up to 4
GBU-31B(V)3/B JDAM 2000lb BLU-109/B	2 / up to 4
GBU-32B(V)1/B JDAM 1000lb MK83	2 / up to 6
GBU-38B(V)1/B JDAM 500lb MK82	2 / up to 10
Dutch F-35 available for other reasons
B61-12 nuclear standoff bomb	2 internal, part of the NATO Nuclear Weapons Sharing Program
may be available for dutch F-35, no sources confirm
GBU-39A/B SDB 285lb	8 / up to 24
GBU-54B(V)1/B LJDAM 500lb MK82	2 / up to 10
426 Gallons wing tank	0 / 2

here an AGM-88G AARGM-ER in an F-35 internal bay

Pictures:

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KLU:

Sources:

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F-35 Lightning II-jachtvliegtuig | Materieel | Defensie.nl
Vliegtuigbewapening | Materieel | Defensie.nl
Pays-Bas : AIM-120D3 AMRAAM pour la KLu - Raids Aviation Magazine
The Netherlands Acquires AGM-88G AARGM-ER for $700 million | TURDEF
The Netherlands to Acquire AIM-9x Block II Missiles | TURDEF
Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II : le nouveau frontline fighter de la Composante Air | La Défense
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II — Wikipédia
F-35 Lightning II | Lockheed Martin
Nuclear sharing - Wikipedia
Paveway IV versus GBU-12 - Aircraft Modern - Britmodeller.com
Raytheon Paveway II
Malgré les critiques, la Belgique va renforcer massivement sa flotte de F-35
Deux F-35 supplémentaires ont été livrés à la Belgique – À l'Avant-Garde
Beldefnews | Le tout premier F-35A belge quitte la ligne de production
https://defence-industry.eu/belgian-air-force-takes-delivery-of-its-first-f-35a-lightning-ii-fighter-jet/

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Conclusion

what i am proposing here is nothing other than the integration into the French tree dedicated to the Benelux air forces with their known available armaments of the now famous F-35A here in its standard version delivered to the Royal Netherlands Air Force who deserve it as a level 2 development partner in the F-35 program, and assembled in Cameri in Italy. As a worthy descendant of the F-16 i think it deserves to be integrated for the Netherlands following the F-16MLU, as much or more than for other countries for which it has already been proposed and which are not even high-ranking partners in the F-35 program.

Obviously this proposal is made in anticipation of the maturity of the game, and is not intended to be implemented immediately.

would you like to see this in-game

• Yes
• No and i’ll explain why in comment

[Thomas_Belgium]

No surprise from me, definitely a +1!

[Mathll]

No for me and just because it is for the french tree. Adding it to a Benelux only subtree is fine but come on, let the french tree out of the modern american stuff

[LacedFent]

quit yappin man

[Mathll]

I’m not complaining, we’re literally asked for our opinion and why we chose the position and I just give mine. And for me it’s a no

[かがり]

you do realise that, international purchases exist. And nations buy stuff from other nations due to reliability and repeat purchase for good products

[Zulizia]

@Mathll

Adding it to a Benelux only subtree is fine

which is in France! Glad we all agree!

[Mathll]

Obviously I’m aware of this, but at the moment the way the Benelux subtree has been implemented is deplorable and adding an F35 to it wouldn’t make it any more interesting.

@Zulizia

which is in France! Glad we all agree

I meant in a separate tree, outside the French tree

[Bugblox]

+1 every nation is gonna get an f35 when the time comes anyway, minus like china (maybe) and russia

[AydanL44100]

+1 F-35A and Rafale F.5 in one lineup sounds fun

[かがり]

@Mathll

I meant in a separate tree, outside the French tree

So where? mars? the benelux sub tree was implemented in the french tree. it doesnt specify it is france

do you know how sub trees work?

[AydanL44100]

Some people want Benelux as a separate nation but I don’t think it’d work unless we get nation folders