Arrival Day: Setting the Stage for Ramstein Flag 2025 at Leeuwarden
On the Friday before the main exercise kicked off, Vliegbasis Leeuwarden quietly transformed into a hub of international military aviation in preparation for Ramstein Flag 2025.
A Global Show of Strength
Delegations from 18 NATO Allied nations arrived in the Netherlands, bringing with them over 90 aircraft operating from 12 air bases across Europe. Leeuwarden Air Base served as one of the main operating hubs, and quickly became a center of activity.
Participating countries and aircraft operating from Leeuwarden included:
- Netherlands – F‑35 Lightning II, MQ‑9 Reaper drones, and NH‑90 helicopters
- Germany – Eurofighter EF‑2000
- Finland – F‑18 Hornet
- France – Rafale
- Greece – F‑16 Fighting Falcon
- United States – F‑35 Lightning II
- Sweden – JAS‑39 Gripen, with crews from multiple Swedish air wings
Other participating NATO members included Canada, Denmark, United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Spain, and Turkey, operating from various European locations. Poland took part as an observer, while Belgium and the Czech Republic contributed key personnel for ground and radar support.
Arrival Day Atmosphere
Though the exercise hadn’t officially started yet, the arrival day set the tone. Aircraft flew in throughout the day, with tight formations and fast transitions from air to ground. The flight line buzzed with coordinated activity—crews unloading gear, conducting maintenance, and preparing for the complex air missions to follow.
The international presence gave Leeuwarden an unmistakable NATO character, with accents, uniforms, and aircraft from all corners of the alliance. From the tarmac to the hangars, the mood was focused and professional.
The Kickoff to Something Bigger
This day wasn’t just about arrivals—it marked the transition of Leeuwarden into a forward hub for NATO airpower. It was the beginning of an ambitious exercise designed to test and improve multinational coordination, integrated air and missile defence, and modern combat readiness across domains.
As arrival day came to a close, the stage was fully set for Ramstein Flag 2025. Engines had cooled, pilots were debriefed, and the skies above the Netherlands were about to become the scene of Europe’s most advanced air exercise.
