While the U.S. State Department cleared the sale to the United Arab Emirates of up to 50 F-35s, worth $10.4 billion, fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II combat aircraft, making it in case the 15th country to acquire american-made low-observability aircraft, from the Novara plant in Cameri, co-managed by Lockheed Martin and Leonardo on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Defense, the 15th F-35A aircraft for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht), 7th dutch aircraft to leave the italian FACO, has left the Final Assembly & Chec-Out factory.
The maiden flight of the aircraft, serialized F-015, took place on the afternoon of 10 December, as always accompanied by an Italian Air Force Eurofighter F-2000A Typhoon in the role of chase plane, while the second flight took place today 14 December 2020.
We recall that the thirteenth Dutch F-35A aircraft (serial number F-013 and production number AN-13) flew last August 25, while the fourteenth Dutch F-35A aircraft (serial number F-014 and production number AN-14) had flown a few days later, on 2 September. A little over a year since the first flight of the ninth dutch F-35A but first produced at the italian F.A.C.O. of Cameri, seven F-35As from the Netherlands are already produced in Italy after the first batch of 8 was built at the huge Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, TX.
How many Dutch F-35As are produced in Italy?
| Code | Service | Type | CN | Plant | Status | First | Comment | Previous ID |
| F-009 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-9 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | Active | 09/09/2019 | RNLAF 322 Squadron | USA 17-5308 |
| F-010 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-10 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | Active | 04/11/2019 | RNLAF 322 Squadron | USA 17-5309 |
| F-011 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-11 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | Active | 15/06/2020 | RNLAF 322 Squadron | USA 18-5405 |
| F-012 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-12 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | Active | 17/06/2020 | RNLAF 322 Squadron | USA 18-5406 |
| F-013 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-13 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | Active | 25/08/2020 | RNLAF 322 Squadron | USA 18-5407 |
| F-014 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-14 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | Active | 02/09/2020 | RNLAF 322 Squadron | USA 18-5408 |
| F-015 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-15 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | On Order | 10/12/2020 | TDY FACO Cameri Plant, Italy | USA 18-5409 |
| F-016 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-16 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | On Order | USA 18-5410 | ||
| F-017 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-17 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | On Order | USA 18-5411 | ||
| F-018 | Koninklijke Luchtmacht | F-35A | AN-18 | FACO Cameri (Italy) | On Order | USA 18-5412 |
To date, 46 F-35As have been ordered by the Dutch Government, with an investment of over 9 billion US dollars, the Royal Netherlands Air Force plans to equip 3 squadrons and have 4 aircraft always available for NATO missions and national air defense.
Article by: Gianluca Conversi
Images: D. Tornotti