Uncomfortable F-35. Dutch pilots miss the comfort of F-16, but they have already given them away from Ukraine

Dutch pilots of F-35 fighters complain about back and neck pains after flights. Many of them claim that this threatens their safety – the Dutch daily “Telegraaf” said on Thursday.

This week, the armed forces of the Netherlands said goodbye to the last F-16, which were handed over to Ukraine. Many pilots who switched to the F-35 and who had the opportunity to fly his predecessor, however, miss the “comfort” F-16.

A study conducted among 61 pilots (average age of 36 years and 1900 hours in the air) shows that they complain about back and neck pain. According to “Telegraaf”, such a problem reports nine out of ten.

This is to result mainly from the angle at which the seat is set. The F-35 sits much more straightened than in F-16. A relatively heavy helmet equipped with specialized devices can also contribute to pain.

The f-35 fighter pilot helmet is one of the most technologically advanced devices of this type in the world. It contains a special display, thanks to which all the most important information (height, speed, aiming) is displayed on the viewfinder in front of the pilot's eyes. The pilot sees data regardless of the direction of looking. The helmet also has a communication system and a night vision system.

In addition, some maneuvers require constant head movement through the remote control and the space in the cockpit is limited. The fact that the Dutch are higher than average when it comes to hunting pilots does not help.

The newspaper announced that most pilots (83 percent) believe that the problem has a negative impact on flight performance, and 38 percent. – that for flight safety.

Poland has signed a contract for the purchase of the F-35 in January 2020. As part of it, it will receive 32 aircraft with a logistics and training package. The first includes spare and operational parts, ground service and pilot equipment, computer management management system. The second package includes comprehensive training of pilots and technical staff in the USA. According to Lockheed Martin, the first F-35A will go to Poland in 2026, first to the base in Łask, and in 2027 to the base in Świdwin.

Łukasz Osiński (PAP)

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