‘Project Disposal F-16’ of the Dutch Air Force
F-16s have been serving the Dutch Air Force for decades now. Initially, they were deployed for defensive role but later on, they started using them for combat. The Dutch F- 16 fleet was drastically reduced at the start of the year 2000 but after the closure of Twen the Air Base in 2004, it was decided for the first time, to sell a part of the F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. To guide the successful sale of the fighter aircraft, Project Disposal F-16 ( Project Afstoting F-16, PAF) was created. After evaluation, the Jordanian government decided that they would purchase F-16s to replace their outdated F-5 fleet. In 1996, the first agreement was signed with the US Government for the lease of 16 F-16 Fighting Falcons. These F-16s were of the type F-16A/B ADF (Air Defence Fighter). Delivery of the F-16s took place under the Peace Falcon I programme and these aircraft were flown to Jordan in a batch of six and two batches of five aircraft each in December 1997, January and February 1998. During the Peace Falcon II programme, another 17 F-16 ADFs from the United States were flown to Jordan in 2003. These aircraft were brought to the MLU (Mid Life Update) standard in Turkey in 2008 and 2009. Now that the country was accustomed to the F-16s MLU standard, it decided to purchase even more second-hand MLU F-16s. Eventually, a deal was concluded with Belgium for the delivery of sixteen ex-Belgian F-16s which the country wanted to sell. These F-16s were flown to Jordan during Operation Peace Falcon III in 2009.
It was in 2006 when for the first time Jordan bought F- 16s from the Dutch Government. The second series of F-16s (after the first batch of 18 for Chile) was prepared for sale which took place in 2009. In total, the Jordanian government bought six F-16BMs from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. These aircraft left for Jordan on 28July 2009 from Leeuwarden Air Base and the same aircraft were flown to Jordan during Operation Peace Falcon IV. After this delivery, the Jordanians also received nine ex- Belgian F- 16s in July 2011. These aircraft were delivered from Belgium during Operation Peace Falcon V. On 8 April 2011, the Minister of Defence announced budget cuts to the Dutch defence and the Council of Ministers agreed with this major austerity