First Dutch-owned Joint Strike Fighters landing in Leeuwarden today

The first two Netherlands-owned Joint Strike Fighter jets are expected to land at the Leeuwarden Air Base at 8:00 p.m. on Monday. This will be the first time that the JSF's, or F-35's, will be seen outside the United States. Hundreds of spotters are expected in Leeuwarden to watch the fighter jets' arrival. "With large exercises there are easily a thousand spotters, but that number may well be doubled today", Joop de Groot, of Aviation Group Leeuwarden, said to RTL Nieuws. He took off the whole day to travel to Leeuwarden from Oss and watch for the JSF's, which are set to replace the Netherlands F-16's from 2019. In the coming weeks, the JSF's will performe several test flights in the vicinity of air bases in Leeuwarden and Volkel. The planes will also be showed off at an air show in Leeuwarden on June 10th and 11th.