2022 Leeuwarden F22 Raptors

The Dutch Air Force managed to keep a fifth gen exercises at Leeuwarden airbase on low profile in the media to avoid massive attention. This didn't stop several hundreds of aircraft enthusiasts to attend the arrival of the F22A Raptor participants on Sunday the 16th of October! These Raptors set foot on Dutch soil for the first time - they would leave again the next Wednesday, making it a rather short exercise. Other participants were Lakenheath F35's and F15E's. All of them flew sorties with the Dutch F35's for a week. 

These Raptors are normally based at Elmendorf airbase Alaska - but were already for some months on deployment at Lask airbase Poland due to the Ukrainian-Russia war. A total of 12 are currently stationed at Lask, all of the "Pair o'Dice" 90th FS/ 3rd Wing.