Dutch F-16s in Eastern Europe

Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon (J062)

F-16 taking off from Leoš Janáček Airport near the city of Ostrava in the Czech Republic. Note the heatwave distortion from the exhaust plume.

Okay, it's an F-16, but whose Air Force does it belong to? Might be kind of important since there has been talk about sending F-16s to Ukraine. Ostrava is only 500 miles from Kiev. There is some kind of round symbol on the tail, but it isn't clear enough in this image to determine just what it is. Have no fear F-16.net knows - it's the Royal Netherlands Air Force*.

More poking around turned up this picture:

F-16 tail feathers

The symbol is similar enough that it's likely the same.

On to Ostrava, Ostrava is just northeast of the Moravian Gate, which is a low area between two ranges of mountains. So if you have an army in Czechia and you want to go east into Poland, Ukraine or Russia, you are going to go through Ostrava and the Moravian Gate. I started watching a video the other day about how if Russia really wanted to defend their land against land invasion, they would need to secure several of these passes including the Moravian Gate. Sounds nuts to me, but then I didn't think Russia would invade Ukraine either.

Mošnov, Ostrava Airport
Note the mountains along the northern border of Czechia and all over Slovakia

So having F-16s stationed is Ostrava makes a certain amount of sense. Give those unruly Poles something to think about should they start casting covetous glances at Czechia.

* F-16.net calls it the RNIAF which Google translates to RNLAF, not to be confused with RNAF, the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Funny how all those European countries are hanging on to their royalty.