News item | 21-02-2025 | 16:16
Defense needs a larger continuous training area to train with the F-35 combat aircraft. In this way the Air Force strengthens its combat power and deterrence and ensures to be committed. This requires a smarter and better layout of the airspace. The cabinet sent the plans to the Chamber today.
Civil aviation is part of the air space revision. Civil devices will fly shorter routes in certain places in the future. In the long term, the reclassification also reduces civil aviation emissions of harmful substances and noise on the ground near civil airports.
At the moment, combat aircraft in the south, east and the north of the country are training. The latter part of the sea is being expanded, so that there is more room for the devices. The average flight height is approximately 6 kilometers during exercises, of which more than 80% take place above the sea. The areas in the south and east are too small for these activities. They are therefore lifted for daily use.
More space is needed to ensure that the armed forces is struck. The urgency is great due to the changed geopolitical circumstances and further deteriorated safety situation. The new layout of the airspace has another advantage. As a result, the Air Force can collaborate with neighboring countries during, for example, large NATO exercises.
Civil aviation
Simultaneously with the expansion of the training area, the design of the civil airspace is modernized. The starting point is as short as possible for civil aviation. Because the military training areas in the south and east are no longer used, civil aviation no longer has to fly around it.
With the new layout, aircraft can approach civil airports in the future from a larger height, and continuously fall instead of step -by -step. In the vicinity of those airports, this leads to less noise on the ground and fewer emissions from Co2 And nitrogen.
Planning
Expanding the plans for the new layout of the airspace is planned for the period 2028 and 2030. Between 2027 and 2035 the projects are started step by step to keep civil aircraft continuously fall from a larger height. To gain experience in this, a learning trajectory is starting this year on a running track of Schiphol this year.
Complex puzzle
The reinventing of Dutch airspace is complex. Changes are strongly connected to each other, because 1 change often leads to more adjustments. This also applies in an international context. The airspace structure of the Netherlands does not stand on its own. It is strongly connected to the airspace of adjacent countries. Also with the European and international civil route network.
The plans for the new classification have therefore been made in close cooperation with Germany and the European Network Manager (EuroControl).