The Royal Netherlands Air Force recently finished certification testing to refuel F-35As with their KDC-10 tanker. The testing, which began March 31, included the Dutch F-35 being refueled by the tanker during the day, at dusk, and at night above Edwards AFB, Calif., according to an F-35 program office news release. The test was required before the Dutch could transport their F-35s to the Netherlands this spring; the first Dutch F-35s will be stationed in the country in 2019. The Dutch tanker joins air refueling aircraft from the US, Australia, and Italy in being certified to refuel F-35s. In the UK, the British Ministry of Defense also recently announced £167 million in
contracts to upgrade and build new facilities at RAF Marham, which will be the home of the UK’s F-35 squadrons.