Koninklijke Luchtmacht/Royal Netherlands Air Force

Vivendi

Well-Known Member
The white paper also notes that “the entire F-35 fleet will be expanded with modern long-range and precision weapons” and that the future use of unmanned fighters is being examined.
Any information on what kind of weapons they are considering? This statement I also found interesting:
Long-range engagement and suppression of enemy air defenses are regarded as important aspects of future KLu operations.
More F-35 Fighters on Dutch Defense Shopping List | Defense News: Aviation International News (ainonline.com)
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group

Interesting choice and badly needed breakthrough for Embrear on Euro Market asside ecisting order from Portugal. I do see attraction for C390 over C130J. However for an Airforce that only used small fleet of tactical airlift, still a daring choice.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #23

Interesting choice and badly needed breakthrough for Embrear on Euro Market asside ecisting order from Portugal. I do see attraction for C390 over C130J. However for an Airforce that only used small fleet of tactical airlift, still a daring choice.
It is an understandable but still remarkable choice for the Netherlands, to order the KC-390 instead of the C-130J.
Not only the KLu has already 4 C-130s in its fleet, but the Netherlands normally buy american stuff because of political reasons.

According to the staatssecretaris the 4 C-130s operated by the KLu have reached the end of their service life. I wonder if they are totally worn out or are still usable for air forces looking for second hand Herculeses.

Btw, the Netherlands will be the third European country after Portugal (5) and Hungary (2) ordered the KC-390.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
I do hope more C390 breakthrough, but so far not as much as market expected before. In paper this arcraft should offer much efficiency as using commercial engine, shares many systems with E Series and basically provide brand new design against competitor.

Still even this is small order, but come from an Air Force that as you say, ussually bought American. Perhaps because Dutch Air Force only use 4 C130 so far, it is small fleet that they can afford to change from C130 altogether. Those with larger C130 fleet perhaps has to think more consideration on changing to C390.
 

Redlands18

Well-Known Member
I do hope more C390 breakthrough, but so far not as much as market expected before. In paper this arcraft should offer much efficiency as using commercial engine, shares many systems with E Series and basically provide brand new design against competitor.

Still even this is small order, but come from an Air Force that as you say, ussually bought American. Perhaps because Dutch Air Force only use 4 C130 so far, it is small fleet that they can afford to change from C130 altogether. Those with larger C130 fleet perhaps has to think more consideration on changing to C390.
The problem at present is there are no bigger Air Forces currently looking for a major procurement of Aircraft in this category. The big Euros are concentrating on the A400, the Japanese have the C-2, ROK is looking at developing its own Aircraft. There are medium term possibilities like Australia, maybe Israel and some ME Countries for orders up to 20+ Aircraft.
 

Toptob

Active Member
It is an understandable but still remarkable choice for the Netherlands, to order the KC-390 instead of the C-130J.
Not only the KLu has already 4 C-130s in its fleet, but the Netherlands normally buy american stuff because of political reasons.

According to the staatssecretaris the 4 C-130s operated by the KLu have reached the end of their service life. I wonder if they are totally worn out or are still usable for air forces looking for second hand Herculeses.

Btw, the Netherlands will be the third European country after Portugal (5) and Hungary (2) ordered the KC-390.
Wow yeah... as far as I can see only real insiders (unlike people like me) have seen this coming. It seems that Brazil has been working hard on this behind the scenes. And it's nice to see an expansion of the transport fleet, which was on the small side for what was being asked of them to be honest.

As for resale potential? I don't know how much value is still left in those frames, they accelerated their replacement for a reason. That is not to say that they are completely run down, the Luchtmacht puts a lot of effort into keeping them in good shape. And initially they where supposed to soldier on until the 2030 timeframe, but normal maintenance procedures and schedules weren't keeping up with the operational tempo. Which is also why they are expanding the fleet, to better keep up with the demands being placed on them.

So as far as their condition? I think they might be in better shape than some air frames that still might get overhauled, and the two C-130H30's where bought new in the mid 90's. But the other two where bought second hand in the 2000's and upgraded to C-130H standard, and I remember reading somewhere that they used a lot of bespoke (or at least non standard) equipment in the cockpits. So they don't look like a very attractive purchase to me, not to mention that they've been flown hard and the oldest frame was built in 1978!
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
The problem at present is there are no bigger Air Forces currently looking for a major procurement of Aircraft in this category. The big Euros are concentrating on the A400, the Japanese have the C-2, ROK is looking at developing its own Aircraft. There are medium term possibilities like Australia, maybe Israel and some ME Countries for orders up to 20+ Aircraft.
Like Australia, Canada will need to renew the C-130J fleet at some point. Both countries are flogging their C-17s so A400 or C-2s might be preferable in order to take on some limited strategic lift missions. However, there is a lot to like about the C390 and hopefully it is successful.
 

Redlands18

Well-Known Member
Like Australia, Canada will need to renew the C-130J fleet at some point. Both countries are flogging their C-17s so A400 or C-2s might be preferable in order to take on some limited strategic lift missions. However, there is a lot to like about the C390 and hopefully it is successful.
Currently planning has Australia replacing its fleet of 12 C-130Js with an expanded replacement fleet from around 2030 or so.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Like Australia, Canada will need to renew the C-130J fleet at some point. Both countries are flogging their C-17s so A400 or C-2s might be preferable in order to take on some limited strategic lift missions. However, there is a lot to like about the C390 and hopefully it is successful.
You've got C-17's for strategic lift. Since the Afghanistan fiasco you shouldn't have been flogging them so much until Vlad the Mad spat the dummy. The real point is will Embraer Defense & Security be able to fully sustain the C390 to the same level or better that LM does with the C-130J? Do they have the same after service philosophy as LM or is it similar to Airbus - Defence and Eurocopter where it's an afterthought and appears to be regarded as a nuisance? If it's the latter then they will be in trouble. Having said that I haven't heard any grumbling about their support for the Tucano, but then I haven't really paid much attention either.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #30
|"The G650 is not a brandnew aircraft, it was built in 2015 and only has made 2.000 flying hours so far."|

The Gulfstream G650 is to replace the Gulfstream IV in the fleet. The KLu/RNLAF bought this Gulfstream IV also as second hand in 1995, and from which i remember it was actually too expensive that time for a second hand aircraft at that age.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #31
The Government of the Netherlands has requested to buy ninety-six (96) PATRIOT MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) ballistic missiles. The estimated total cost is $1,219 billion.

 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #32
The Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) received its latest addition to the VIP fleet just a vouple of days ago on 15 March 2023. The 'new' second hand G650 is a replacement for the current Gulfstream IV, the V-11 (1009), which is already 35-years old, which is also a second hand one when it was acquired.


 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #34
The new Reapers will also be operated by 306 Squadron with their home at Leeuwarden air base. The 306 Squadron was once the reconnaissance F-16 unit at Vliegbasis Volkel, equipped with the Oudedelft Orpheus pod and later with the Medium Altitude Reconnaissance System (MARS) pod.

It is unclear in this article if these four UCAVs are already delivered ti the Netherlands or still on order, but the order for the additional MQ-9As include three MQ-9A Mobile Ground Control Systems (GCS) and is valued at US 611 million.

 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #35
There are two possible Foreign Military Sales approved by the US State Department. The first one is for 120 AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range (JASSM-ER) All-Up-Rounds; fifteen (15) AGM-158 Inert JASSMs with Test Instrumentation Kits; two (2) AGM-158 JASSM Separation Test Vehicles; one (1) AGM-158 Instrumented Test Vehicle; and two (2) JASSM Jettison Test Vehicle. The estimated total cost is $908 million.

The second one is for 386 Hellfire Missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $150 million.


 
Top