Dutch and French sign fighter airspace access agreement

[Vergennes]

The Netherlands and France signed an agreement on 16 February allowing Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) fighters to escort intercepted aircraft into France.

The agreement brings the Netherlands in line with Belgium, which signed a similar agreement with France in 2005, following the beginning of joint Belgo-Dutch air policing over Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux) on 1 January. Belgian F-16s have since been on quick reaction alert in Benelux airspace. On 10 May, RNLAF F-16s will take over.

http://www.janes.com/article/68121/dutch-and-french-sign-fighter-airspace-access-agreement

 

[ChineseToTheBone]

It seems that out of these close allies, only the Dutch will be procuring the F-35 in the immediate future.

 

[Penguin]

It seems that out of these close allies, only the Dutch will be procuring the F-35 in the immediate future.

I don't see what your point is.

You need to consider which countries need to replace F-16s

By July 2010 there had been 4,500 F-16s delivered, its operational with

• • Bahrain
  • Belgium
  • Chile
  • Denmark
  • Egypt
  • Greece
  • Israel
  • Indonesia
  • Iraq
  • Jordan
  • Morocco
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Republic of China (Taiwan)
  • Republic of Korea
  • Romania
  • Singapore
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States
  • Venezuela
  
  Former operators
• Italy – Italian Air Force leased up to 30 F-16As and 4 F-16Bs from the USAF from 2001 until 2012

So, there's 8 European countries, of which Poland received F-16 in 2006 and Romania in 2016 (from Portugal, which got them in 1996). Denmark, Netherlands and Norway are replacing their F-16 with F-35. Italy no longer operates F-16 but will have F-35 for Air Force and Navy, like UK.

On 12 September 2011 a Wikileaks document showed a diplomatic cable from the American ambassador and the Minister of Defence Pieter De Crem that Belgium is interested in buying off-the-shelf Lockheed F-35 Lightnings by 2020.

F-35A
Royal Danish Air Force – 27 planned (On 9 June 2016, the Danish Defence Committee agreed to purchase 27 F-35As to succeed the F-16. The price tag is 3 billion USD)
Italian Air Force – 1 in use for testing; 2 delivered and 5 on order, with 30 more to be ordered by 2020; up to 60 total planned.
Royal Netherlands Air Force – 2 in use for testing, 8 on order, 27 additional planned
Royal Norwegian Air Force – 4 on order, 48 additional planned

F-35B
Italy: Air Force – 15 planned, Navy – 15 planned
United Kingdom – 4 in use for testing; 14 on order, with 42 (24 FOC fighters and 18 training aircraft) to be fast-tracked by 2023; 138 F-35s total planned

France of course has Rafale, while Germany, UK, Italy and Spain use Typhoon.

 

[ChineseToTheBone]

My point was how the United States wants the countries in NATO to adopt the F-35 so that joint missions could be performed without anyone hindering one another. However, it seems that many European nations are slow to purchase one of the most advanced jets ever built. In the near future, the Dassault Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon simply will not cut it anymore with stealth capabilities becoming more vital.

 

[volatile]

It seems that out of these close allies, only the Dutch will be procuring the F-35 in the immediate future.

you can take out Canadians as well

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a24012/canada-f-18-order/