Fairford, Gloucs, UK. 12th July, 2014. Swiss air defence force F-18C Hornet jet fighter aircraft displaying at the 2014 Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford on 12 July. Credit: Niall Ferguson/Alamy Live News
The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as part of the army and in October 1936 an independent service. In peacetime, Dübendorf is the operational air force headquarters. The Swiss Air Force operates from several fixed bases but its personnel are also trained to carry out air operations from temporary highway airstrips. In case of crisis or war, several stretches of road are specially prepared for this option. Through the years, the Swiss Air Force traditionally had been a militia-based service, including its pilots, with an inventory of approximately 450 aircraft whose operational service life overlapped several eras. Beginning with its separation from the army in 1966 however, the air force has been down-sizing (currently approximately 230 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft) and moving toward a small professional cadre with fewer reserves and low-graduated conscripted personnel for general tasks.[8] Currently the Swiss Air Force has a peacetime strength of 1600 professional military personnel with the ability to recall to about 20,000 reservists Its front-line air defence asset consists of 32 F-18 Hornets and 54 F-5 Tiger IIs (originally 110 purchased in 1978–85). The F/A-18 pilots are all full-time professional military; the F-5 pilots are largely reservists. These reservists are mostly airliner or freightliner pilots who also have an F-5 rating. During reserve duty periods, they are assigned to military duties and must refresh their operational live flying training. In 2008, the Swiss Hornet component reached the 50,000 flight hour milestone. All Swiss Hornets remain highly capable due to the Upgrade 21 (UG21) programme conducted between 2004 and 2009 at RUAG, while another Mid-Life Update (MLU) will begin shortly.
Size: 3832px × 2824px
Location: Fairford Gloucestershire UK
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -18c, air, aircraft, defence, display, fairford, fighter, flying, force, hornet, international, jet, raf, riat, royal, show, swiss, tattoo
