A török F-35-ösök talán a hollandokhoz kerülnek.
The director of Lockheed Martin, Greg Ulman, has announced that the six F-35A Lightning IIs that were originally destined for the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK, Turkish Air Force) could be redelivered to the Netherlands. At least four of the scarcely used Lightning IIs are currently in flyable storage at Luke AFB (AZ). The other two are at their birthing-ground at Fort Worth (TX) of which one made a first flight on 1 October 2019 (*).
If the Dutch government agrees, this could mean one of two things: the aircraft will be part of the nine aircraft that were additionally ordered in September 2019, so six of these nine will not be built by FACO, Cameri (Italy) and will become the former THK aircraft. Or, the second possibility, the Dutch government may decide - on top of the original order of 37, plus the additional nine of September 2019 - to buy yet another six additional Lightning IIs. The Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) once requested for 52 aircraft and rumours indicate that this is still its goal and focus.
At the introduction ceremony of the first operational F-35A to the KLu on 31 October 2019, an additional order of six Lightning IIs on top of the current 46 aircraft was not ruled out. Either way, if the Dutch government agrees on this, a speedy delivery could be expected.
But, in fact, a third option exists too: the stored THK F-35As could be redelivered to another (new) stealth fighter user, like the US themselves, Belgium or Poland, to speed up their deliveries.
The director of Lockheed Martin, Greg Ulman, has announced that the six F-35A Lightning IIs that were originally destined for the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK, Turkish Air Force) could be redelivered to the Netherlands. At least four of the scarcely used Lightning IIs are currently in flyable storage at Luke AFB (AZ). The other two are at their birthing-ground at Fort Worth (TX) of which one made a first flight on 1 October 2019 (*).
If the Dutch government agrees, this could mean one of two things: the aircraft will be part of the nine aircraft that were additionally ordered in September 2019, so six of these nine will not be built by FACO, Cameri (Italy) and will become the former THK aircraft. Or, the second possibility, the Dutch government may decide - on top of the original order of 37, plus the additional nine of September 2019 - to buy yet another six additional Lightning IIs. The Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) once requested for 52 aircraft and rumours indicate that this is still its goal and focus.
At the introduction ceremony of the first operational F-35A to the KLu on 31 October 2019, an additional order of six Lightning IIs on top of the current 46 aircraft was not ruled out. Either way, if the Dutch government agrees on this, a speedy delivery could be expected.
But, in fact, a third option exists too: the stored THK F-35As could be redelivered to another (new) stealth fighter user, like the US themselves, Belgium or Poland, to speed up their deliveries.