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of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.]] The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), Dutch ''Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu)'', is the aviation branch of the Netherlands armed forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on July 1, 1913, and it originally consisted of just 4 pilots. HISTORY The beginning in 1913 The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) is actually the youngest operational part of the Dutch armed forces, which consists of four autonomous operational parts: Navy, Army, Air Force and Military Police. Initially the Netherlands only had its Army Aviation Group (''Luchtvaartafdeeling'' or abbreviated LVA), established in July 1913 at Soesterberg airfield (''vliegbasis Soesterberg''). In 1913 the Army Aviation Group counted only one aircraft the ''Brik'' but within a couple of months three other French ''Farman'' aircraft were ordered. As these aircraft were soon outdated the Dutch government ordered several fighter/reconnaissance ''Nieuport'' and ''Caudron'' aircraft. 1914-1918 WWI As the Netherlands government maintained a neutral position during WW I the Army Aviation Group did not take part in any action. As military aviation developed itself during this war aircraft were tasked for multiple operations such as reconnaissance, artillery guidance, aerial photography, communications and even bombing. Tactically there also was an enormous development. Until 1916 the air war was limited to individual air combat only but in 1916 the Germans for the fist time started attacks with multiple aircraft. During the 1914-1918 period the Dutch Army Aviation Group professionalized with the establishment of technical, aerial photography, meteorological and navigation flights. The pilot training was not anymore exclusively for officers but accessible to anyone. Also the number of airfields was extended with the locations ''Arnhem, Gilze-Rijen, Venlo'' and ''Vlissingen''. Between the wars After the end of WWI the Dutch government favored lots of budget cuts and the carefully built up Army Aviation Group was almost dissolved during the 1918-1935 period. As the political tensions extended the government tried to rebuild the armed forces again in 1938 but there were many structural problems. There was an enormous shortage of pilot instructors, navigators and pilots to fly the new multiple engine aircraft. Because all kinds of equipment were bought there was also an enormous lack of maintenance and weapon standardization. 1940-1945 WWII In July 1939, just before the outbreak of WWII however, the Army Aviation Group was transferred into Army Aviation Brigade and in August 1939 (late) the Netherlands government mobilized its armed forces. At that time the Army Aviation Brigade consisted of 125 battle ready aircraft of several types.
As WW II broke out in may 1940 the Army Aviation Brigade had to pay the price of all governments budget cuts. Within a short time (the total air war lasted only 5 days) the complete Dutch Army Aviation was almost wiped out by the German Luftwaffe . In spite of the total German attacking Luftwaffe the Dutch pilots excelled in many heroic air combats. Because of this heroic behavior more than 350 Luftwaffe aircraft were destroyed in the short air war. One of the most heroic facts was the destruction of 220 Junkers Ju 52 aircraft deploying German paratroops over the Netherlands. These actions took the lives of almost 95% of the Dutch pilots. For all actions, just before her escape to Great Britain, (MWO). In 1940 in Great Britain 2 Dutch Navy Air Arm Squadron s were established under operational RAF command (320 and 321 squadron). Remaining Army Aviation personnel served with 320 sqn until the end of WWII. In December 1941 the Japanese attacked the South of Thailand, British Malaya, Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, Guam and Hong Kong and the Netherlands East Indies entered the war. Despite the heroic actions of small the East Indies Air Arm the Japanese air force outnumbered the Dutch many times and the Dutch Army had to surrender. However some military aviators continued the battle from Australia. The Royal Netherlands Military Flying School was re-established, in the United States , at Jackson Field (also known as Hawkins Field), Jackson, Mississippi , operating lend-lease aircraft, training all military aircrew for the Netherlands. The intention was to return to the Netherlands and to participate in the war against Japan. In 1942 in Canberra 18 Sqn Dutch East Indies was established. Equipped with B-25 Mitchell bombers 18 Sqn saw action under Australian command. In 1943 120 Sqn Dutch East Indies was established. Equipped with Kittyhawk fighters it flew many missions under Australian command and was deployed by the recapturing of Dutch New Guinea. In June 1943 a Dutch air defense squadron had been established in England. 322 (Dutch) Sqn, equipped with the Spitfire , saw action as part of the RAF . 322 Sqn aircraft were equipped with the British RAF roundels as well as the Dutch orange triangle. 322 Sqn was successfully deployed against incoming V-1 flying bombs and after the invasion in 1944 it was deployed for ground attacks in France and Belgium. In July 1944 in London the Directorate Netherlands Airpower had been established and in 1947 its Chief of Air Force Staff had been installed. The Netherlands-East Indies ceased to exist as the Dutch government surrendered its territory in December 1949. The exception was an area to be decided over in a later stage. ''Netherlands Nw-Guinea.'' The 1950s and 1960s In 1951, for the first time in history, several non-combat functions in the Army Aviation were accessible for women. And at last in March 1953 the Royal Netherlands Air Force officially became an autonomous part of the Dutch armed forces. The Air Defense Command, (''Commando Lucht Verdediging, abbreviated CLV'') consisting of a command unit, 5 radarstations and 6 fighter squadrons, had been established. Its radar equipment as well as its air defense fighters all came from obsolete RAF stocks. Initially the Spitfire Mk9 was used by 322 sqn until 1954 but as new squadrons were established these aircraft were replaced.
After the Netherlands joined NATO another new command: Tactical Air Command (''Commando Tactische Luchtstrijdkrachten, abbreviated CTL'') had been established.
Nieuw Guinea conflict The Indonesian government claimed the area at once as it belonged to the former Netherlands East Indies. The Dutch government considered the area as Dutch territory. Negotiations were struck for years and at the end of the 1950’s tension was growing more and more and Indonesia broke up deplomatic relationships with the Netherlands. In the course of 1958 the Netherlands deployed military reinforcements to Nw-Guinea including an Air Force detachment for the air defense of the island ''Biak''. The government obtained more and more proof that Indonesia was infiltrating the island before a military operation. The first Air Force contribution was the installation of 2 MkIV radars on the islands ''Biak'' and ''Woendi'' as ‘early warning radars’ to get the local defenses ready in time. Political situation was deteriorating and in 1960 the Dutch government decided to deploy reinforcements. The operations were known by name as ’Plan Fidelio’. For the Dutch Air Force this implied the establishment of an Air Defense Command Nw Guinea (''Commando Luchtverdediging Nederlands Nieuw-Guinea - CLV NNG'') consisting of :
The Dutch government decided deployment of a squadron consisting of 12 Hawker Hunter Mk. 4 AD fighters and 2 Alouette II SAR helicopters. They were transported to Southeast Asia with the aircraft carrier ‘Karel Doorman’ . One year later Dutch government employed another 12 Hawker Hunter Mk6 AD fighters; these aircraft were capable to carry more fuel and had a larger radius. In August 1962 Indonesië was ready to attack Nw-Guinea. The Dutch defenses would definitely be insufficient to withstand the coming attack. Therefore and because of international political pressure the Dutch government was forced to agree with a peaceful surrender of Nw-Guinea in 1962. Dutch forces were withdrawn from the territory. The establishment of 336 transport squadron is closely connected to Nw-Guinea. Just after activation this unit had been deployed to Nw-Guinea to take over air transport from the Dutch Navy. 336 Sqn deployed and took over 3 Navy Dakota’s and 3 US aircraft. 336 Sqn operated from ''Mokmer'' airstrip and transported between September 1961 en September 1962 more than 5.400 passengers The Cold War era, 1960's, 1970's and later During the cold war era Dutch Air Force units had an important part in the west-European defense against the opposing Warsaw Pact forces. The Dutch Air Force manned 5 fully operational self supporting Missile Groups in W-Germany (1 and 2 MslGrp were NIKE equipped and 3,4 and 5 MslGrp were Hawk equipped) and crews of many weaponsystems, especially fighters and surface to air missiles, took part in the everlasting circus of alert, standby duties and NATO exercises through the years.
STRUCTURE OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS AIR FORCE Main Operating Bases (MOB's)
Air Defense Group
At the Air Defense Group de Peel in 2005 the Joint Air Defense Centre has been activated and the activation af the Joint Air Defense School will follow in very short terms too. This implies that in the very near future all anti aircraft units of the Dutch Air Force, Army and Navy will be integrated on and relocated to this base. JADC not only takes care of future air defense training, but also coördinates and supports all air defense related operations in the future. Tactical Air Operations Base
In 2009 710 and 711 Sqn will be united in one Air Operations Sqn. The national status of the base will change into a NATO status as an airmobile NATO Deployable Air control centre, Recognised airpicture production centre, Sensor fusion post DARS radar unit is planned to be operational on the base in the same year. Tactical Helicopter Group
After integration of all Soesterberg units, all Navy helicopters will also be transferred to Gilze Rijen. In the near future Gilze Rijen will host the Dutch Defense Helicopter Command. All Dutch Air Force and Navy helicopter operations and maintenance will be coördinated from here. In contradiction to other countries with Army helicopter forces the Dutch government put all military helicopters in the Air Force organisation. Air Transport Base
Common Support Base
RANK STRUCTURE Check this Ranks of the Netherlands Armed Forces (PDF) file to learn the actual ranks in the Royal Netherlands Navy, Army, Air Force and Military Police. STRENGTH | ||
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| ! Style | "text-align: left background: #aacccc"In service"World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, '' Aviation Week & Space Technology '', January 15 2007 |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Aérospatiale_Alouette_III" class="copylinks">Aérospatiale Alouette III |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Bell_412" class="copylinks">Agusta-Bell 412 |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/AH-64_Apache" class="copylinks">AH-64D Apache |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Eurocopter_Cougar" class="copylinks">AS 532U2 Cougar Mk2 |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/CH-47_Chinook" class="copylinks">CH-47D Chinook |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/C-130_Hercules" class="copylinks">C-130H-30 Hercules |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Fokker_50" class="copylinks">Fokker 50 |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Fokker_60" class="copylinks">Fokker 60 |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/KC-10_Extender" class="copylinks">KC-10 (KDC-10) Extender Aerial Refueling/tactical Transports |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/DC-10" class="copylinks">DC-10 Transport |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Gulfstream_Aerospace_G-IV" class="copylinks">Gulfstream IV |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/F-16_Fighting_Falcon" class="copylinks">F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon |
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| "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/Pilatus_PC-7" class="copylinks">PC-7 Turbo Trainer |
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