The Dutch Ministry of Defense only has five locations in mind for the expansion of its fighter jet capacities. These are the Woensdrecht airbase and the former De Peel airbase. The civilian airports Groningen Airport Eelde, Lelystad Airport and Twente Airport are available for shared use.
For the training of tactical air traffic on a short unpaved runway (“dirt strip”), the focus remains on: The Gilze-Rijen airbase, the Deelen military airbase, the former De Peel airbase and the Leusderheide military training area. This was announced to Parliament a few days ago by the Dutch State Secretary for Defense, Gijs Tuinman. https://militaeraktuell.at/arstilleros-armon-schwedische-arbeitsschiffe/ This also means that the Ministry of Defense will not further investigate the sites previously considered for this purpose – the Volkel, Leeuwarden, Gilze-Rijen and Eindhoven airfields for additional fighter aircraft capacity and Twente Airport and the De Haar, Havelte-West, Oirschotse and Rucphense Heide military training areas for the “dirt strip”. However, these locations are not yet off the table for good; this will only happen with the adoption of the Policy Vision Space for Defence 2025. In recent months and years, it has again become necessary to increase the capacity of deployable fighter jets in the Netherlands. On the one hand, this has to do with the level of training. In order to maintain this, despite the intensive use of simulators and training abroad, facilities are needed in the Netherlands. Additional space is needed for this. A second important factor was and is the temporary stationing of allied combat aircraft and the tactical distribution of aircraft.
Noise pollution
Noise pollution is a major problem for residents living in the designated areas. That is why the number of homes in the area plays a normative role in the environmental impact study (Plan-EIA study). The results show that Lelystad Airport has the lowest noise pollution in relation to the number of dwellings. This is followed by the former De Peel airfield and Groningen Eelde airport as the least bad alternatives. https://militaeraktuell.at/gewinnt-china-rennen-um-6-generation-kampfjet/ Twente airport and Woensdrecht airfield, on the other hand, are only examined further for up to half of the demand. The reason for this is simply that there are considerably more “noise-polluted” homes at these locations than at the other three airports.
“Dirt strips”
A short, unpaved runway is also needed to train take-off and landing with tactical transport aircraft. Such a runway is not currently available in the Netherlands. However, one is necessary, especially before an operational deployment. This is because not only take-off and landing is trained, but also the training and training for the rapid preparation and repair of these so-called “dirt strips” must be practiced. This is carried out by soldiers from the Air Mobile Brigade and the Corps Command. The number of houses affected by noise was also taken into account in the EIA study for this requirement. The area around the Deelen military airbase and the former De Peel airbase is the least affected. However, the impact on nature is greatest in Deelen, as it is located in the middle of the Veluwe. The Dutch Ministry of Defense is therefore also investigating the possibility of an unpaved runway at the Gilze-Rijen airfield and the Leusderheide military training area.
Further steps
It was only in November that the Ministry of Defence announced which sites it would continue to investigate as part of the National Space Program for Defence and which it would not. At that time, however, the research results for the above-mentioned extensions were not yet known. The Secretary of State for Defense has since informed the provinces and municipalities concerned.
The draft National Policy Vision Space for Defense is expected to be published in early 2025. This will enable the Cabinet to decide on the preferred alternatives and whether the defense sector may be expanded at these sites. All the results of the environmental impact assessment (Plan MER) will also be available at the latest with the policy vision. The government will also take the opinion of the population into account when deciding on the final locations – everyone in the Netherlands will be able to give their opinion once the draft has been published
