August and September 2005 were two very busy months at Leeuwarden AB, The Netherlands. On 26 September the large-scale exercise Frisian Flag started, but prior to this six F-15Cs from the 493rd Fighter Squadron -nicknamed Grim Reapers- from RAF Lakenheath, U.K., were stationed at Leeuwarden AB from 26 August until 9 September.

Dissimilar air combat training (DACT )
During their two-week deployment, the F-15 Eagles trained intensively with Dutch F-16s. Not only with the Vipers from Leeuwarden AB, but also with F-16s from 311 and 312 squadron stationed at Volkel AB. The American and Dutch pilots conducted large scale Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT). DACT is air combat training between various different types of aircraft, in which pilots learn to battle against different opponents.

Visitors
We visited Leeuwarden AB on two different days to report about the exercise. On those days we were also treated with a few nice visitors. On 31 August a RAF Jetstream T.3 visited for a night stopover. And on 6 September no less than three interesting visitors showed up: a F-15E from 494th FS from RAF Lakenheath, a German Tornado IDS from TLG-51 at Schleswig-Jägel and a Greek C-130H from Elefsis Air Base.