Dutch air force freighters at Findel

News • Current affairs • 25.05.2016 • Aaron Grunwald

One of the KDC-10 aircraft which will briefly operate out of Findel field, the “Jan Scheffer”, is seen here flying over RAF Waddington base in eastern England, in March 2009.

Photo: Jerry Gunner (CC BY 2.0)

A pair of military transport jets from the Netherlands will temporarily call Luxembourg City’s airport home starting later this month.

Two Royal Netherlands Air Force KDC-10 aircraft will be stationed for three weeks at Findel airport, the Grand Duchy’s defence department said on Tuesday. The planes are normally based at Eindhoven Air Base, which will be closed while its runway is repaved.

The KDC-10s are “tanker transport” aircraft that can be used for air-to-air refuelling, as well as carrying both cargo and passengers at the same time, according to the European Air Transport Command, of which Luxembourg is a member.

The planes are used for Nato and EU military and humanitarian missions, the Luxembourg defence department said in its statement (in French). Those activities will be carried out of Findel airport between 30 May and 17 June.