| Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu) | |
|---|---|
 Roundel of the Royal Netherlands Air Force | |
| Founded | March 1953 |
| Country |  Netherlands |
| Allegiance | The Netherlands / NATO |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Size | 47,500 personnel, 217 aircraft |
| Part of | Dutch Armed Forces |
| Motto | One team, One task |
Strength
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aérospatiale SA316B Alouette III |  France | Light VIP helicopter | 4 | Only used for aerial photography and Royal/VIP flights |
| Agusta-Bell 412 |  Italy | Light SAR and utility helicopter | 3 | SAR role, supporting the RNLAF training area over Vlieland and the Wadden Sea. |
| Boeing AH-64D Apache |  United States | Attack helicopter | 29 | (1 crashed) but repaired. Dutch Apaches are AH-64D but without the AN/APG-78 Longbow radar |
| Eurocopter AS 532U2 Cougar Mk2 | France | Medium utility helicopter | 17 | Mid-Life Update programme as of 2009 |
| Boeing CH-47D Chinook | United States | Heavy lift helicopter | 11+6 | Former Canadian Forces CH-47C were sold to the Dutch in 1991. Six CH-47Fs on order and options for two CH-47Fs |
| Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules | United States | Medium transport aircraft | 4 | In addition two former ex-US Navy EC-130Q's are being converted to C-130H for RNLAF by Marshall Aerospace. After this the other 2 C-130H-30s will be updated the same as the two new ones. |
| McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 | United States | Wide body transport aircraft | 2 | Aerial refuelling and passenger/cargo transport |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-10 | United States | Wide body transport Aircraft | 1 | Former United Airlines passenger aircraft, updated in Italy and by Stork Aerospace (NL). |
| Gulfstream IV | United States | Light utility aircraft | 1 | VIP transport |
| Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon | Netherlands/ United States | Multirole fighter aircraft | 87 | License-built by Fokker. Only 25 remain operational because lack of spare parts. |
| Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer |  Switzerland | Light Training Aircraft | 13 | Painted yellow/red before, now black with 2 yellow markings |
| Westland Lynx |  United Kingdom | ASW, SAR and MEDEVAC duties | 21 | Only 10 of them are usable because they have been given life extending maintenance. This was necessary due to delivery delays of the NH-90. Wearing Koninklijke Marine titles but since July 4, 2008 they belong to the Defensie Helikopter Commando (DHC), or Defence Helicopter Command. |
| NH Industries NH-90 |  European Union | NATO frigate helicopter | 20 | Deliveries will start in 2010. 12 NFH-90s for use aboard frigates and destroyers and 8 Tactical NFH to supplement 300 Sq Eurocopter AS 532U2 Cougar Mk2 |
| Dornier 228 |  Germany | Coastal patrol duties | 2 | Wearing civil registrations but with military (air force and navy) crews |
The future
- 52-66 F35A Lightning II will replace the F-16 fleet, decision will be made around 2010
- 20/22 NH90 helicopters will replace the current Navy Lynx helicopters. The NH90 helicopters will be stationed at Gilze-Rijen (8 NH-90 Naval Transport version and SAR) and De Kooy (12 NFH-90 anti-submarine warfare).
- Purchase of air portable cruise missiles by 2011.
The Netherlands was the first country to sign up for the Production Sustainment and Follow On Development (PSFD) Phase of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft.
Through the NATO Strategic Airlift Capability, the RNLAF has access to three C-17s.
Replacement for the F-16
The Netherlands Air Force wants to replace its F-16 fleet in the next decade. Candidates for the replacement were the Dassault Rafale, Lockheed Martin's F-16 Block 52/60, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Saab Gripen and Lockheed Martins F-35. In 2002 The Netherlands signed a MOU (Memoradum Of Understanding) to co-develop the F-35 as a 'Tier 2' Partner. That deal is worth around 800 million US dollars, advanced by the Dutch government on behalf of Dutch industries: After the demise of Fokker Aircraft, the government wanted to retain whatever aerospace industry it could.
The F-35 seemed to be the best replacement for the F-16. But Saab is now offering their latest aircraft, the Saab Gripen NG (Next Generation), to The Netherlands at a much lower price (including maintenance for its entire lifespan). The Netherlands did compare the Saab Gripen NG and the F-35 in early 2009 and the F-35 came out on top. Many sources and signs indicate that the F-35 will be the next fighter of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
In early 2008, a decision was put before Parliament to buy two test aircraft for Dutch pilots to train in the US. But instead, in April 2009 it was decided to buy just one test aircraft and defer the final decision as to what to buy to 2011, after the elections. A new government and Parliament will review the whole process again while opposition to the F-35 is growing ever stronger. Reasons for this are ever rising costs, uncertainty about the exact cost of the aircraft, slips in the schedule of delivery and thus uncertainty about delivery dates. Also, Dutch industries have been complaining about their offsets from the USA
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