GUARDING THE DUTCH DIKES 

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Dutch Aviation Media 2012

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In the old days in The Netherlands the farmers walked on 'wooden shoes' or clogs.
This object ofcourse is nearly only a touristic attraction.
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An other Dutch characteristic object is a 'Dike' which can lead to a real disaster in it succumbs !!
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Follow us for the article....
... and some inpressions.
F-16 prevents wet feet and worse... Important tool, the Reccelite pod helps to avoid a flooding disaster
F-16 acts for civil company 'Waterschap Noorderzijlvest' to investigate the stage of dikes in the province of Groningen
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THIS CAN HAPPEN AGAIN IF WE'RE NOT ALERT ! BUT WE ARE VIGILANT AND ABLE !!!
A disaster like this in 1953, in which year large parts of The Netherlands were flooded, could happen again !
 
The Netherlands name is derived from the fact that large parts of the country are situated below sea-level. (1953)
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The area's are protected with dikes to withhold the water floating into these area's like these images show (1953)
In early days these dikes sometimes succumbed under the pressure of the water and large areas are then washed away
... the consequences were disasterous as the images show, the force is immense ! (remember a Tsunami)
Another few images of that catastrophic time.... 
   
With brute force the water flows....  Boats in the streets try to save whatever possible.
This can be avoided nowadays using modern aviation techniques, like infra red images made by F-16 !!
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This is the story how Reccelite register the weak parts of dikes so precautions can be taken !!
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Beginning of januari 2012 there was some worry about heavy pressure on some dikes. The airforce could help !
    The Reccelite Day/Night electro-optical reconnaissance pod is available for missions 24 / 7 to provide real-time
    imagery collection and data transfer via data link communications.
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  • Stabilized turret
  • IR and visual channels in simultaneous collection
  • Image collection in all directions:
    • Horizon to Horizon
    • Forward-Backward
    • Side Looking
    • Vertical
  • Real-time data link communication to ground station
  • Solid-state recorder on board
  • Operating options for high, medium and low altitudes
  • Shares the Litening targeting pod ILS infrastructure
  • Long range data and video down-link (option)
  
Preparations are made for a recce flight. Pilot and plane are being mobilised
The airforce's infra-red and optical means could help !.Here the pilot gets briefed. (picture AVDD maartje Roos)
An F-16 with reccelite pod was prepared and used to do this job. A last visual check before flight...
The F-16, ready on the concrete to start a flight with the Reccelite pod....
           
....which is mounted on a hardpoint just next to the fuselage of the F-16, which is based at Volkel Airforce Base.
The pilot has just placed the digital datarecorder to make the range of high quality pictures
A view on the reccelite pod that ´saw´ the problematic spots, so precautions could be taken to avoid situations like below
The little white brightening veins are spots where the water seepages and weakens the dike dabgerously !
Volkel airbase hosts three F-16 squadrons
The F-16  J-199 belongs to the 311 Squadron, here town out of it's hangar to start a mission
An image of the inside of the pod, which contains datarecorders and tecnical equipment
Right: The blue aerea is 'seen'by the pod, the small yellow part is witheld from sight
Another example of weakening veins (left) that need instant repair. Outside: Not to be seen, but with infra red: Bingo !
The alert readaer already saw this jamming/pod, in wartime it can disturb any communication. Not used now ofcourse.
Final checks and the F/16 is ´ready to rock !´
The orange cover under the Reccelite pod holds an aerial antenna for datalink use. That was not used in this case.
Never again, thanks to modern avionics and equipment, used by the airforce in favor of the civilians.
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Special thanks to Cynthia, Maurits, Sidney, AFB Volkel in general, AVDD Maartje Roos and Waterschap Noorderzijlvest Mw. Mosterd
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                   Click here for the article in Englishl
                   Klik hier voor het artikel in het Nederlandsl
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Please read our disclaimer mainpage left. Special thanks to the (un)known photographers of the 1953 disaster in The Netherlands