The Quest for Relevant Air Power

228 │ ROYAL NETHERLANDS Air Force
was reduced, upgraded, and standardised. The F-5A, procured in
the second half of the 1960s, was phased out at the beginning of
the post–Cold War era. 35 Reduction and standardisation also applied
to the RNLAF’s GBAD systems. The GBAD inventory was
solely concentrated upon the Patriot system, as it provides a limited
TBMD capability and fully meets the requirements of deployed
operations. Yet, the necessary swift buildup in intra- and
intertheatre mobility led to a heterogeneous force structure.
Table 4. RNLAF aircraft/GBAD inventory and personnel
1991 1998 2005
Combat Aircraft
170 F-16A/Bs (plus 11
in store)
181 F-16A/Bs (plus 23
in store)
108 F-16A/B MLUs
(plus 29 in store)
(all aircraft converted
under the European
MLU programme)
Transport Aircraft
14 Fokker F-27 tactical
transport aircraft
2 C-130 Hercules,
6 Fokker F-50/F-60
tactical transport aircraft
2 C-130 Hercules,
6 Fokker F-50/F-60
tactical transport aircraft
AAR Aircraft
None 2 KDC-10s 2 KDC-10s
Helicopters
4 SAR helicopters 81 helicopters (including
12 AH-64A combat
helicopters, 13 CH-47D
Chinooks, 17 Cougars)
GBAD
4 Patriot fire units,
16 Hawk fire units,
75 radar-controlled guns
and 25 radars,
100 Stingers
12,500 (plus 3,500
conscripts and 11,200
reservists for immediate
recall)
4 Patriot fire units,
16 Hawk fire units,
75 radar-controlled guns
and 25 radars,
100 Stingers
Personnel
11,980 (plus 10,000
reservists for immediate
recall)
72 helicopters (including
30 AH-64D combat
helicopters, 13 CH-47D
Chinooks, 17 Cougars)
4 Patriot fire units (being
upgraded to PAC-3),
some Stingers
11,050 (plus 5,000
reservists for immediate
recall)
Adapted from International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), The Military Balance 1991–92
(London: Brassey’s for the IISS, 1991), 66–67; IISS, The Military Balance 1998–99 (Oxford, England:
Oxford University Press for the IISS, October 1998), 60–2; and IISS, The Military Balance
2005–06 (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press for the IISS, October 2005), 83. Data on Patriot
and Hawk GBAD fire units was provided by Col Peter Wijninga, RNLAF, commander, De Peel
AFB, to the author, e-mail, 30 July 2010 (forwarded by 1Lt Ton Steers, RNLAF).