313 Squadron was officially formed in 1953. However for a squadron with such a long history there is little to tell, for the Sqn was mostly an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). They started of flying Lockheed T-33's on VOLKEL AB the planes used where on lone from the United States and where (unofficially) named JVS II. They where formed to give an operational training to Dutch Pilots who returned from a training in the United States. In 1958 the Sqn moved to Woensdrecht. Here the two Training Sqn's joined to form the JVO and on 1 January 1959, 313 Squadron was disbanded. The Sqn Reformed in October 1972 at Twente AB, again as an OCU Sqn but now on the NF-5A Freedom Fighter. For the next years 313 Sqn was the only Training squadron in the RNAF. September 1986 was the year where 316 Sqn took over the Training Role, and 313 Sqn became for the first time in there Career a fully operational Squadron on the Northrop NF-5A. The Operational status came to an end in 1988 with the arrival of the F-16 Fighting Falcon By April 1990, 313 Became Operational again as an offensive and defensive Sqn. October 1990 was the month 313 changed there Sqn badge in to a Tiger and became a member of Nato's Tiger Association. From 1 April 1994 313 regained there training role as a Tactical Qualification Training (TQT). By the end of 2002 the squadron regained it's NATO operational standard. During 2004 the squadrons future looked quite dreary, when the decision was made to close 313 squadrons home-base Twente and disband it's 2 resident squadrons. Hope grew again when the decision was made to create a new squadron at Volkel AB. and only 2 day's after the disbandment of 313 squadron at Twente it was raised from its aches at Volkel. In late 2020 the F-16's together with Pilots and Groundcrew where all moved to 312 Sqn, and 313 Sqn started to opperate under the 3yy Squadron designation the start to prepare for the arrival of the F-35 Lightning II. Airfield Vlb. Volkel  (EHVK) , NLD Aircraft No Aircraft Assigned Membership status Full Member Member since 1990 The 313th squadron was an NF-5 squadron before it received the venerable viper. It converted on the type in May of 1988. It was the first squadron to receive the brand-new F-16s of the Fokker production line which came from the last order of the Dutch. These where the first OCU airframes delivered to the RNlAF and where also the first to be equipped with the brake chute. With the introduction on the F-16, the squadron lost its training task and therefore decided that another logo should be chosen. Because the Dutch had always been deprived in the past of membership of the famous NATO Tiger Association due to the simple fact that there was no tiger squadron, the unit decided - with government approval - to choose a tigers head as a mascot. This resulted in the hosting of the NATO Tiger Meet in 1992. From April 1st, 1994 onwards, the unit received a training task once more. F-16 pilots who had completed their training in the USA where 'customized' to the European airspace and procedures in the squadron. This is the so-called Tactical Qualification Training (TQT). Apart from that, the squadron also provided for the Initial Qualification Training (IQT). Experienced fighter pilots who had flown on other aircraft types for a certain amount of time, had to be re-qualified on the F-16. Besides this the squadron also initiated an F-16 refreshment course for non-active F-16 pilots. These training tasks where all handed over to 306 sqn in November of 2001, with 313 sqn becoming an active F-16 squadron once more. The last change in the history of 313 sqn is the closure of Twenthe AB in 2005. The squadron was not disbanded but moved to nearby Volkel AB to form a third F-16 squadron on that base. 313 Squadron was officially formed in 1953. However for a squadron with such a long history there is little to tell, for the Sqn was mostly an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). They started of flying Lockheed T-33's on VOLKEL AB the planes used where on lone from the United States and where (unofficially) named JVS II. They where formed to give an operational training to Dutch Pilots who returned from a training in the United States. In 1958 the Sqn moved to Woensdrecht. Here the two Training Sqn's joined to form the JVO and on 1 January 1959, 313 Squadron was disbanded. The Sqn Reformed in October 1972 at Twente AB, again as an OCU Sqn but now on the NF-5A Freedom Fighter. For the next years 313 Sqn was the only Training squadron in the RNAF. September 1986 was the year where 316 Sqn took over the Training Role, and 313 Sqn became for the first time in there Career a fully operational Squadron on the Northrop NF-5A. The Operational status came to an end in 1988 with the arrival of the F-16 Fighting Falcon By April 1990, 313 Became Operational again as an offensive and defensive Sqn. October 1990 was the month 313 changed there Sqn badge in to a Tiger and became a member of Nato's Tiger Association. From 1 April 1994 313 regained there training role as a Tactical Qualification Training (TQT). By the end of 2002 the squadron regained it's NATO operational standard. During 2004 the squadrons future looked quite dreary, when the decision was made to close 313 squadrons home-base Twente and disband it's 2 resident squadrons. Hope grew again when the decision was made to create a new squadron at Volkel AB. and only 2 day's after the disbandment of 313 squadron at Twente it was raised from its aches at Volkel. In late 2020 the F-16's together with Pilots and Groundcrew where all moved to 312 Sqn, and 313 Sqn started to opperate under the 3yy Squadron designation the start to prepare for the arrival of the F-35 Lightning II.

The General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as anair superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,500 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are still being built for export customers. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martinafter a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta. The Fighting Falcon has key features including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, a seat reclined 30 degrees to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system which helps to make it a nimble aircraft. The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 locations for mounting weapons and other mission equipment. The F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", but "Viper" is commonly used by its pilots, due to a perceived resemblance to a viper snake as well as the Battlestar GalacticaColonial Viper starfighter. In addition to active duty U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units, the aircraft is also used by the USAF aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 25 other nations.

On 2 October 2002 a tri-national detachment of 18 Dutch, Danish and Norwegian F-16 ground attack aircraft and one Dutch KDC-10 tanker deployed to Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan in support of ground forces in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. On 1 October 2003 the Dutch F-16 detachment returned to the Netherlands and the KDC-10 returned even earlier (1 April 2003). The RNLAF returned to Manas AB on 8 September 2004 with five F-16 and one KDC-10 in support of the presidential elections of Afghanistan. This time the aircraft flew under the NATO ISAF flag. On 24 March 2005 the whole Dutch detachment transferred from Manas AB to Kabul International Airport.[9] A detachment of six AH-64D Apache helicopters[10] were already stationed at Kabul International Airport from April 2004 until March 2005.[citation needed] In February 2006 four Dutch F-16s were joined by four Royal Norwegian Air Force F-16s in a detachment known as the 1st Netherlands-Norwegian European Participating Forces Expeditionary Air Wing (1 NLD/NOR EEAW). This was a follow up of the participation with the Belgian Air Force. As part of the expanded NATO ISAF mission in southern Afghanistan in August 2006, the Royal Netherlands Air Force had three CH-47D Chinook of 298 Sq stationed at Kandahar Airfield. On 12 November 2006 eight F-16s transferred from Kabul International Airport to Kandahar Airfield, Additionally, a detachment of six (later four) AH-64D Apache helicopters had been stationed of Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan province. The CH-47D Chinooks of 298 sq rotated with Cougars from 300 sq. All helicopters together with a few F-16s returned to the Netherlands in November 2010. The other four F-16s transferred from Kandahar Airfield to Mazar-e-Sharif International Airport in November 2011. The F-16 flight, providing Close Air Support for ground forces and Recce Flights (specialised in counter-ied's), ended their mission officially on 1 July 2014. On 31 August 2006 a Royal Netherlands Air Force (Michael "Sofac" Donkervoort) pilot was killed when his plane crashed during a mission to support British ground troops in Helmand province. On 7 December 2007 military use of Twente Air Base ceased. The aerodrome is now known as Enschede Airport Twente. Flying officially ended at Soesterberg Air Base on 12 November 2008. The last jet ever to take off was a Hellenic AF F-4E. The base formally closed on 31 December 2008. The 298th and 300th squadron have been moved to Gilze-Rijen Air Base. A part of the base remains in use as a glider field, however. Also, the former USAFE side will be in use by ground units Relocated from Kamp van Zeist and will be called "Camp New Amsterdam". Finally, the AF museum (Royal Netherlands Military Aviation Museum) returned to the base and will use most of the existing hangars..

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