Weiterentwicklung der Armee (WEA) - the future of swiss armed forces

With the actual structure, Swiss Army is still too big and uses much time for responding to the needs. The Weiterentwicklung der Armee (WEA) will offer more flexibility.

The four main goals:

1. Improved readyness
With 140'000 soldiers (meaning minimum 100'000 available) there should be always an important number ready to respond to natural disasters or other crisis. With up to complete mobilisation in short period of time (like in the cold war).

2. Improved training of the cadre
Future cadre has to make the full training (Rekrutenschule) and will be trained one full week before each Wiederholungskurs (repetition course)

3. Complete equipment
With the smaller number of soldiers, each one will have again he's (her's) own equipment, special troops in logistic bases.

4. Locally based
Military units available on short notice in each area of Switzerland.

Future Assets of the Swiss Army

With the already permanent availability of army services for the civil autorithies, for example the use of Swiss Air Force Helicopters and Drones for the Border Guard - our Armed Forces know also a predicted status including 8000 soldiers for conferences/guard duty (WEF World Economic Forum) and 2500 soldiers for Air Superiority duty. With the not predicted status there are up to 35000 soldiers available in 10 days.

With the reformation of the Swiss Army, the Panzerbrigaden (Pz Br 1, 11), the Infanteriebrigaden (Inf Br 2, 5 (will be named Mechanisierte Brigade 4 beginning 2018), 7) and the Gebirgsinfanteriebrigaden (Geb Inf Br 9, 10, 12) will be disbanded December 31st, 2017.

More Info about the WEA: http://www.vtg.admin.ch/de/aktuell/themen/wea.html

As a Swiss Air Force Pilot on the Nuclear Carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

Swiss Television had the chance to visit 'our' actual exchange Pilot, Cap Andreas 'NUK' Kuhn, on its Carrier Qualification. He will be back in Switzerland in 2019.

Source: http://www.srf.ch/sendungen/reporter/ein-schweizer-auf-dem-flugzeugtraeger

The exchange program started with the arriving of our Hornets in 1995, here you can see 'NACHO' of the US Navy during one of his missions out of Meiringen:

Hunterfest'17 with the famous Patrouille Suisse

In a few days the idyllic Simmental valley will host again an fabulous airshow around the local Papyrus-Hunter of Hunterverein Obersimmental.

Hunterverein Obersimmental: http://www.hunterverein.ch

After 2004 and 2008, the Swiss Air Force Jet Display Team PATROUILLE SUISSE will perform inbetween those high mountains surrounding former Air Force Base of St. Stephan.

Programm vom Samstag, 26. August 2017

• ab 8.30 Eintreffen der Besucher und Flugzeuge
• 9.30 GV des Hunterverein Obersimmental
• ab 10.00 Verkaufsstände
• 10.00-12.00 Passagier- und Jetflüge (Papyrus-Hunter, Hunter, Vampire usw.)
• 10.00-14.00 Heli-Rundflüge
• 11.00 Apéro für Ehrenmitglieder, Sponsoren und Ehrengäste
• 12.00-13.00 Mittagspause
• 12.00 Mittagessen (Ehrenmitglieder, Sponsoren und Ehrengäste)
• 12.00 Mittagessen in der Hunter-Beiz oder bei den Verpflegungsständen neben dem Hangar und bei den Jets
• 14.40 Patrouille Suisse (Training am Freitag ab 14.10 Uhr)
• ab 16.00 Passagier- und Jetflüge (Papyrus-Hunter, Hunter, Vampire usw.)
• ab 17.00 Rückflug der meisten Flugzeuge
• 17.30 Apéro in der Hunter-Bar beim Unterstand
• 20.00 Nachtessen für Hunterverein-Mitglieder, Helferinnen und Helfer

Änderungen im Programm vorbehalten

Also the special decorated Pilatus PC-6 'Felix' can be seen in St. Stephan

 Patrouille Suisse training will be held friday 1410-1450h, display on saturday 1410-1440h LT

 Hunter's like in the good ol'time - flying low !

Swiss Air Force sent three Super Puma / Cougars for fighting the fires in Portugal

Portugal is again harassed by big forest fires. Many monocultures with eucalyptus trees and no rain is dangerous ground. Last year the Russian governement sent two Beriev Waterbombers, this year Switzerland helps. After dispatching a Helicopter of the Kosovo-based KFOR to Montenegro (wildfires) in mid-July, three helicopters where sent from Switzerland Saturday 19th and will be based in Monte Real, 120km north of Lisboa. Crew consists of 30 army personel and a humanitarian team of four by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.

Brände in Portugal: Die Schweiz entsendet Helikopter zur Unterstützung der Feuerbekämpfung

Bern, 19.08.2017 - In Portugal wüten Brände in mehreren Regionen. Die Schweiz reagiert auf ein Hilfsersuchen der portugiesischen Behörden und entsendet drei Helikopter sowie Personal zur Verstärkung der Brandbekämpfer.

In Portugal gab es im Verlauf des Sommers zahlreiche Brände. Tausende von Hektaren Wald wurden ein Raub der Flammen. Im Moment verwüsten Feuer mehrere Orte des Landes; die Behörden baten um internationale Unterstützung.

Der Bundesrat hat der Entsendung von drei Armee-Helikoptern des Typs Super Puma und einer Crew bestehend aus rund 30 Armeeangehörigen zugestimmt. Die Helikopter und die Mannschaft haben die Schweiz heute verlassen. Nach einem Zwischenstopp im Norden Spaniens, werden sie die ersten Löschoperationen von der Stadt Monte Real aus (120 Kilometer nördlich von Lissabon) beginnen.

Zudem begibt sich ein Detachement der Humanitären Hilfe der DEZA (EDA-Direktion für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit) in die Region. Die Gruppe, bestehend aus einem Teamchef, einem Verbindungsbeauftragten, einem Logistiker und einem Waldbrandexperten, wird die Schweizer Armeeangehörigen unterstützen und die Koordination mit den portugiesischen Behörden sicherstellen.

Es handelt sich um die zweite gemeinsame Aktion der Humanitären Hilfe der DEZA und der Schweizer Armee in diesem Sommer. Letzten Monat hat die Schweiz Helikopter zur Brandbekämpfung nach Montenegro entsandt.

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Adresse für Rückfragen

Information EDA
Bundeshaus West
CH-3003 Bern
Tel.: +41 58 462 31 53
Fax: +41 58 464 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch

Stefan Hofer
Kommunikation der Armee
Tel. +41 58 463 37 41
Stefan.hofer@vtg.admin.ch

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Herausgeber

Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten
http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/de/home/recent/media.html 

Generalsekretariat VBS
http://www.vbs.admin.ch  

becoming Swiss Air Force Pilot is faster soon

Due shortage in the recruitement of new pilots for the Swiss Air Force, the schooling will be shortened beginning autumn 2017.


After the tree blocks of military service (Recruit School, Caporal and Officer School) new pilots needed six semesters for Bachelor of Science in Aviation degree at ZHAW Winterthur. This part will be postphoned to a time after the new pilots served in the Air Force, individually.

Old Model:

New Model:

a short introduction to the schooling in the Swiss Air Force (still the old model, sorry)

Link: SPHAIR.CH - searching new Military Pilots

Actual Pilot Schools in the Swiss Air Force:

Pilotenklasse 2011, PK11

Pilotenklasse 2012, PK12

Pilotenklasse 2013, PK13

Pilotenklasse 2014, PK14

Pilotenklasse 2015, PK15

Buochs - 14 years after the last Mirage Repetition Course

Yeah, time's running fast ... in 1999 we've seen Mirage IIIS leaving the base and in 2003 the last Mirage IIIRS and DS aircrafts.

But Buochs is not dead, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd and many more are using the field for there products. Here a little peek in daily activities 2017 - not bad, eyyyy ? 😻

 Pilatus PC-12 is a real topseller, with over 1720 examples produced already

Pilatus PC-7 of the Royal Netherlands Air Force received a Cockpit Upgrade for modern fighter cockpits like F-16 and F-35 - a little ceremony was held after the first aircraft (L-01) finished the testflights.

Ireland sent Pilot for a brand new PC-9M aircraft ready for delivery - the 269. Planning was to buy and refurbish an former Mexican Air Force aircraft, Ireland ordered a single new one instead. And some external fuel tanks.

French Air Force finally decided for 21st century training aircraft PC-21 ! Here No3 709-FE on an engine run - France ordered 16 aircraft for pilot school in Cazaux.

  Jordan Air Force is the newest user of the Pilatus PC-21 in the Arab World.

And with the first Pilatus Jet, the PC-24, the future is looking great too !

ex Swiss Air Force Tiger crashed in USN Service - Pilot save !

Former Swiss Air Force F-5E Tiger II J-3008 crashed 20 nautical miles off the coast south east of Key West.

F-5E Tiger II J-3008 departing Payerne - April 24th, 2006 and inverted Axalp October 10th, 2003

BuNo 76-1533 was one of 18 ex Swiss Air Force Tigers on duty with Fighter Squadron Composite 111 (VFC-111) Sundowners based at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida. They are mainly used as aggressors for the US Navy and Marine Corps.

Source: https://news.usni.org/2017/08/09/navy-reserve-f-5-crashes-off-key-west-pilot-good-condition-coast-guard-rescue#sthash.h0hdp0Xf.gbpl