Leeuwarden Air Base marked the end of Ramstein Flag 2025, one of NATO’s largest multinational air exercises, with the departure of all participating aircraft. After two weeks of advanced air combat training, the skies above the Netherlands returned to normal as fighter jets and support aircraft headed back to their home bases.
A Quiet Departure for Aviation Spotters
For many aviation photographers and enthusiasts, the departure day was less impressive than expected. Most jets climbed rapidly after takeoff, reaching high altitudes within seconds. This left little chance for the low passes or formation departures often seen at the conclusion of such events.
Smooth Operations and On-Time Departures
Operationally, the departure was highly successful. No major delays or technical issues occurred, and the turnaround process ran according to plan. Ground crews at Leeuwarden Air Base worked efficiently to prepare the aircraft for their return flights across Europe.
Aircraft Departing Ramstein Flag 2025
The departure included a diverse mix of NATO aircraft types:
- F-16 Fighting Falcons – Royal Netherlands Air Force
- Eurofighter Typhoons – German Air Force
- Dassault Rafales – French Air and Space Force
- F-35A Lightning II – Italian Air Force
- KC-135 Stratotanker – United States Air Force
- C-130 Hercules – NATO tactical airlift
What is Ramstein Flag?
Ramstein Flag is a high-level NATO air exercise focused on large-force employment (LFE) scenarios. The primary goal is to strengthen interoperability between allied air forces, ensuring they can operate seamlessly in complex, high-threat environments.
Training missions include:
- Air-to-air combat and beyond-visual-range engagements
- Air-to-ground strike missions
- Electronic warfare and suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD)
- Aerial refueling operations
This year’s exercise emphasized joint mission planning, intelligence sharing, and command and control integration, ensuring NATO air forces can respond collectively and effectively in real-world operations.
A Successful Exercise Despite a Low-Key Ending
While the departure lacked visual spectacle for spotters, Ramstein Flag 2025 successfully met its objectives. The exercise showcased NATO’s ability to deploy and integrate advanced air assets from multiple nations, reinforcing collective defense and readiness.
With the exercise concluded, Leeuwarden Air Base returns to regular operations, but the experience and lessons learned will strengthen Europe’s air defense posture in the months ahead.
