On 31 October 2019, the first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II of forty-six JSFs ordered for the Royal Netherlands
Air Force arrived from Cameri AB in Italy at Leeuwarden AB in the Netherlands. This JSF (Joint Strike Fighter)
is registered F-009 and will serve with 322 Squadron at Leeuwarden AFB. Lockheed Martin F-35A F-009 s/n AN-09
(USAF FY/n 17-5308) is produced at the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility at Cameri Airbase in Italy.
The FACO is a joint venture between Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi, the Italian Ministry of Defence, and Lockheed
Martin. The Lockheed Martin F-35A Block 3 s/n AN-09 was flown first on 9 September 2019. During the ceremony
around the first F-35 aircraft arrival at Leeuwarden Air Base, the fire brigade would form an honorary bow of water
just before the aircraft drove to the platform where the official arrival was celebrated. This did not go well since
one of the crashtenders sprayed extinguishing foam instead of water over the F-35A. The result of this unintended
extinguisher was that the aircraft was thoroughly inspected first for damage or corrosion before it was allowed to fly again.