Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 pilots train in the heat of Arizona – thousands of miles from their European bases. Dr Kevin Wright spoke to Lt Col Joost ‘Niki’ Luysterburg, commanding officer of the 148th Fighter Squadron, about the demanding ninemonth syllabus among its range of courses.
Arizona’s mountainous and largely desert geography could not be more different from the low-lying, coastal and green landscape of the Netherlands. Yet, it is above the austere terrain of the southwestern US that the Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht/KLu trains its F-16 Fighting Falcon (‘Viper’) pilots.