Dutch MoD sells F-16s

On 29 June 2021, the Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the sale of twelve Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons to Draken International LLc. The US based company has its headquarters at Lakeland Linder International Airport, Lakeland (FL).

Draken offers airborne adversary support (Red Air), Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC), Close Air Support (CAS), flight training, threat simulation, electronic warfare support, aerial refueling, research, and testing services to the US Department of Defence, US defence contractors and aerospace firms, provided by a fleet of former military aircraft.

The Fighting Falcons are all part of the F-16 End Life Of Type (ELOT) programme. Delivery of the F-16s and associated equipment to Draken International will start in 2022. The agreement includes an option for the sale of another 28 F-16s. This second group will be phased out in the period until May 2024.

Next to the sale to Draken, the Dutch MoD has sold one F-16AM (serial J-624) to Belgium as a weapon trainer. On 23 February 2021, the aircraft was transported by road to Kleine Brogel air base (Belgium).

The identities of the twelve selected aircraft for Draken International have not been revealed yet.

Photo by Carlos Geurts (Scramble Archive)