First Two Dutch F-35s Land in the Netherlands

The Netherlands' first two F-35s landed at Leeuwarden Air Base on Monday, marking the fifth-generation jet's first eastbound transatlantic crossing.
The jets, made the journey from Edwards Air Force Base.
This appearance comes just weeks before Lockheed Martin's joint strike fighter is scheduled to make its international debut at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom
defensenews

Italy Air Force KC-767s could support first F-35 transatlantic crossing

The Italian Air Force is aligned to complete the first transatlantic crossing of the Lockheed Martin F-35 when its first two aircraft fly from Novara, Italy, to Arizona in early 2016, and those aircraft are likely be refuelled along the way by Italian Boeing KC-767A tankers.
The US Marine Corps’ planned hop across the pond to London for the Farnborough Airshow last year was thwarted by an F-35A engine fire that temporarily grounded the entire fleet.
Now, with the delivery and successful first flight of the first Italian F-35A from the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out facility, the Italian Air Force is expected to make the historic journey before any DOD aircraft, and its KC-767 is on track to be fully certified to support the crossing.
The KC-767 completed its first refuelling of an F-35 in late July during a qualification flight at Edwards AFB in California. It is the first international tanker to do so.
flightglobal

RAF First F-35 Unit '17 (Reserve) Squadron' Stands Up Operations At Edwards AFB

The U.K. has become the first nation outside of the U.S. to begin "organic" F-35 JSF test operations following the standing up of the Royal Air Force 17 (Reserve) Squadron at Edwards AFB, California.
The joint RAF-Royal Navy operation will conduct operational testing and evaluation of the F-35B using three of the U.K’s initial four aircraft. Although initial operational capability (IOC) for the RAF is targeted for the end of 2018, the test fleet is expected to remain at Edwards to continue evaluation of future weapons and systems upgrades until the end of their lives.
Testing is already underway with the first U.K. aircraft, BK-1, following its trans-continental ferry flight from Eglin AFB, Florida, where initial pilot and maintenance crew training has been taking place. The second U.K. F-35B, BK-2, is due to arrive at Edwards by early March, with a third test aircraft, BK-4, expected to arrive in early 2016.
A fourth British F-35B, BK-3, has been transferred from Eglin to Beaufort Pilot Training Center at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, where it is operated as part of Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501).
The U.K’s "Lightning Force" has a maintenance crew made up equally of RAF and Navy personnel.
aviationweek

F-35 and Typhoon Fly Together For The First Time

This is the first time that the F35 and Typhoon have flown together during which the aircraft performed their first airborne link during interoperability testing.
baesystems

The Netherlands to commence F-35 training in November

The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) is to shortly begin training air and ground personnel on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
RNLAF pilots and technicians will begin training at Eglin AFB in Florida at the end of October. The disclosure comes weeks after she announced that the Netherlands will procure a total of 37 JSFs to replace the RNLAF's Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons.
The pilots will start off with theoretical training and begin flying with the JSF in December. The training aims to prepare pilots and maintenance personnel for the operational test phase beginning in 2015.
The two Dutch F-35A conventional take-off and landing aircraft (AN-1, delivered in April 2012, and AN-2 delivered in March 2013) are currently at Eglin AFB. The two aircraft, along with the Dutch personnel, will move to Edwards AFB in California for the second part of the operational test phase.
janes