NODF-35 deployed to Idaho

The past weeks saw the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) F-35 Training Detachment (Nederlands Opleidingsdetachement F-35/NODF-35), part of the 308th Fighter Squadron Emerald Knights, operating from Mountain Home AFB (ID).

While a large part of Mountain Home's 366th Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagles are deployed to the Middle East, the NODF-35 team took the opportunity to use Mountain Home's tarmac as a temporary home. Normally based at Luke AFB (AZ), the NODF-35 team brought six F-35A Lightning IIs to Mountain Home and produced 95 flying sorties in 8,5 flying days.

This latest exercise in and over Idaho and the Mountain Home Range Complex (MHRC) proved to be a great training with lots of challenging sorties. This exercise was also the so called capstone event for the soon to graduate KLu F-35A B-course students at Luke.

About the Mountain Home Range Complex (MHRC)

The 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base operates, maintains and develops the MHRC which is comprised of 7,400 square miles of associated airspace and 122,000 acres of land space used for two air-to-ground training ranges, five no-drop target complexes and 30 multi-size electronic combat sites.

The MHRC supports unit-level and composite force training providing aircrews a realistic training environment to hone their combat skills. Ideal for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and/or Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD) missions, the primary air-to-ground training ranges are Saylor Creek Range, located 12 miles east of Bruneau (ID), and Juniper Butte Range, located 37 miles southeast of Bruneau (ID).

Photos: M. Steenbergen