Frisian Flag exercise was held at Leeuwarden Air Base from 16 until 27 April 2012. Frisian Flag is an annual exercise to train in multinational mixed fighter packages. Daily the participants train Combined Air Operations (COMAO) packages in realistic scenarios. The multinational relationships between NATO and non-NATO air forces (Sweden and Finland) were also strengthened over this two-week exercise. In 2011 there was no Frisian Flag and the 2010 exercise was cancelled after two days due to the volcano outbreak in Iceland. But Frisian Flag was back this year with an impressive number of participants from nine different countries.

Participants
The nine countries were good for more than 60 participating aircraft. About 50 of them flew two missions each day. There were no participants from southern Europe. So, no Italian, French or Spanish aircraft at Leeuwarden this year. Scandinavia was well represented. From the Scandinavian countries only the Danish Air Force was absent. The Royal Norwegian Air Force participated with 10 Vipers, the Finnish Air Force with six F-18s and the Swedish Air Force with eight JAS-39 Gripens.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force was present with twelve Vipers from both fighter bases Volkel and Leeuwarden. The Belgians came with six Vipers from Florennes Air Base. The Eurofighters came from Germany and the United Kingdom. The Germans with nine EF-2000s and the RAF with six Typhoons. The ninth country was Poland with six F-16Cs from Lask Air Base.

Supporting aircraft
Two Falcon 20s from the Royal Norwegian Air Force and a Learjet 36 from the Skyline Aviation took care of electronic attack operations. Their electronic warfare capabilities were used to jam ‘blue air’ or ‘red air’ communications. Air-air refueling was performed by a Dutch KDC-10 and a KC-135 from the USAF that flew from Eindhoven Air Base. And finally, E-3s from the NATO and RAF performed their role as airborne radar stations.