Page 225 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

a Century of military aviation in tHe netHerlands, 1911-2011 225

Two Dutch AH-64D "Apaches" at Kabul International Airport. Between 2001 and
2010 the RNLAF deployed a detachment of combat helicopters to Afghanistan.

out laser-guided precision bombardments independently.
After years of operational activity over the Balkans, the F-16s departed for Af-
ghanistan in September 2002 to take part in operation Enduring Freedom, operating
from Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan. The F-16s were tasked with providing Close
Air Support over Afghanistan. Dutch F-16s carried out bombardments and used their
mounted guns to relieve ground troops who were under fire. As part of the Interna-
tional Security and Assistance Force (ISAF), from 2004 onwards, the F-16s operated
in an international context, initially from Kabul International Airport and later from
Kandahar Airfield in the south of Afghanistan. In addition to providing air support
– often against mobile tactical targets – and convoy escorts, the F-16s also carried
out recce missions. They were scheduled to stay in Afghanistan until the end of 2010
in order to provide convoy protection to the redeploying Dutch military personnel
after the completion of their mission in Uruzgan. Later it was decided that the F-16s
will take part in (the protection of) a new police training mission in the northern
Afghan province of Kunduz. From March 2011 Dutch F-16's, operating from the
Decimomannu Air Base on Sardinia, also help to enforce the no-fly zone over revolt-
ing Libya.
Since the Cold War, the transport aircraft of the RNLAF have carried out numer-
ous humanitarian missions and have taken part in various peace operations. The
F-27s of 334 Squadron still proved very useful in the first period after the fall of the
Berlin Wall. At the end of 1989, they flew food parcels and medicines to Romania