Kees van der Mark reports on the prestigious Fighter Weapons Instructor Training course from Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands
Fighter Weapons Instructor Training
Flying at Leeuwarden was intense between May and September, with the multinational FWIT fleet operating side-by-side with the locally based jets, including F-16BM J-065 from 322 TACTESS.
Leeuwarden Air Base switched its focus to hosting the multinational Fighter Weapons Instructor Training (FWIT) a fortnight after the Frisian Flag 2017 exercise ended on April 7. FWIT is a demanding, six-month course held every other year.
Dubbed the ‘university for F-16 pilots’, FWIT trains experienced F-16 ‘Viper’ aircrew from the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) to become weapons instructors (WIs). After returning to their home bases, they share their profound knowledge of F-16 weapons systems and tactics with their squadron colleagues.
