Swiss Air Force to train with U.S. Air Force in Switzerland
Bern, 18.09.2023 - The Swiss Air Force and the U.S. Air Force will conduct a joint training exercise in Swiss airspace from 18–21 September 2023. The training is part of Switzerland's efforts to strengthen its defence capabilities through international cooperation.
From 18–21 September, several training modules will take place in Swiss airspace. Swiss Air Force Squadrons 17 and 18, and the 510th Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Air Force will be taking part in the exercise. The former will be taking off from Payerne Air Base in Vaud, Switzerland, the latter from Aviano Air Base in Italy. The purpose of the Swiss-American training exercise is to jointly test the planning, execution and debriefing of air defence exercises, and discuss experiences. It is based on a bilateral agreement on military training, education and exercises from April 2020.
Strengthening defence capabilities through international cooperation
Two Swiss F/A-18 fighter aircraft and two F-16 fighter aircraft of the U.S. Air Force will be taking part in the exercise. The joint training builds on a long history of cooperation between the two air forces in training and education. It is in line with the Federal Council's plans to strengthen Swiss defence capabilities through international cooperation, as stated in the supplementary report to the September 2022 Security Policy Report.
Address for enquiries
Stefan Hofer Armed Forces spokesperson +41 58 463 37 41
Emmen is the second base publishing the planned activity for 2021 - now we wait for Swiss Air Force's mainbase Payerne to publish heres.
Like every year, Patrouille Suisse Training week will be in April, F-5 Tiger activity is the most during TK (Training Course) in dark blue. Please consider restrictions due COVID'19 when visiting the base.
Changes are still possible due COVID'19, but it looks that Hornet Display too is preparing the training week. Due the actual situation, Nicolas 'Vincent' Rossier will take responsibility to fly 2020 and the new pilot will be trained in 2021 if the situation permits.
Moyenne Alt: Medium Altitude
Basse Alt: Low Altitude
Schedule update: training course is now planned 10-14th of august. Of course this will also depend on the measures about the COVID-19 🦠 , but we still hope to fly a few times this year
Every year in October, the Swiss Air Force invites the world to the Power Demo showed up there. No more rockets and bombs since the end of Vampire and Hunter, but still impressive.
Unfortunally it was the last year with the grey Tiger F-5's - the're only used for the agressor role and Patrouille Suisse in the future, but not needed to shoot there bullets anymore.
In 2020, the armed forces will once again support the civilian authorities in the canton of Graubünden in carrying out security tasks in connection with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Parliament approved the deployment of a maximum of 5,000 soldiers on these civil affairs support operations from 2019 until 2021. The 2020 WEF meeting will be held from 17 to 27 January.
Main base for the combat ready jets is Payerne LSMP (1st ALT is LSMM, 2nd ALT is LSMS) again and the 25 nautical miles flight restrictions above Davos are on the following dates:
January 17th, 2020 from 1300-1700h LT (training) January 20th from 0800h LT continuosly 'till January 25th, 1700 LT (hot)
Some Pilatus (NC)PC-7 will be flying out of Samedan airport during training day and the hot mission.
With the arrival of two Super Hornets and an KDC-10 as support aircraft, the second candidate began it's evaluation in Payerne Avril 29, 2019. Unfortunally the two Fighters lost there squadron insignas for the trip to Switzerland.
This time also normally civil spotters where informed about the guests - there interest was mainly the KDC-10 ofcourse.
The Nightflight mission was also very hot - never ending afterburner 😍
Very good point made - sending a female pilot is quite normal in the USN, in Switzerland on military jets very seldom.
The second candidate will arrive this week and includes an Omega Company Tanker as support. The test flights will start next monday april 29th and end on Mai 3rd. Eight missions are scheduled, with a total of 17 takeoffs and landings (PAY/MEI).
As support aircraft an KDC-10 Tanker aircraft is expected (N974VV, Mc Donnell Douglas DC-10-40) - due Air'04 Airshow an KC707 of the Omega company was here.
In 2019, the armed forces will once again support the civilian authorities in the canton of Graubünden in carrying out security tasks in connection with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Parliament approved the deployment of a maximum of 5,000 soldiers on these civil affairs support operations from 2019 until 2021. The 2019 WEF meeting will be held from 18 to 28 January.
Main base for our military fighter jets supporting the WEF with CAP's in Switzerland is PAYERNE (LSMP), second is Meiringen (LSMM) !
Air traffic in the Davos area is restricted during the 2019 World Economic Forum (GND to FL195).
Air traffic over Swiss, Austrian and Liechtenstein territory within a radius of 25 nautical miles (approx. 46 km) of the centre of Davos will be restricted from 21 to 26 January 2019. Special rules and procedures that have been worked out by the Swiss Air Force and the Federal Office for Civil Aviation must be observed for approaches to and departures from regional airfields and heliports. Only specified visual flight routes may be flown. All these flights will be subject to authorisation; accreditation of both pilots and aircraft is required for authorisation.
Flights outside the specified routes and flights to Davos also require authorisation, which will only be granted to pilots and aircraft that have been accredited beforehand. Even after accreditation, a request must be made to the air force for every flight. The air force will then decide whether to grant or refuse permission in accordance with requirements and security considerations. Detailed instructions can be found in official publications
The Swiss Air Force will support the civilian authorities with air transport and surveillance flights using helicopters, propeller planes and combat aircraft. Therefore, a considerable increase in military air movements even beyond the canton of Graubünden is to be expected.
As air traffic includes not only helicopters and aeroplanes, all other airspace users are also subject to restrictions that come into force on 21 January 2019. The regulations for model aircraft, UAVs, delta and paragliders are issued by the Graubünden cantonal police.
Restriction times: Monday, 21 January 2019, from 8am local time until latest Saturday, 26 January 2019, 5pm local time
April
01-19 Training of the Swiss Air Force Display Teams in Payerne (08-19, Hornet), Emmen (25 April - 12 March, Patrouille Suisse), Locarno (PC-7 Team) and Alpnach (Super Puma Display Team)
12 PSFC Tag, Emmen (CH) mit Patrouille Suisse, SP und PC-7 Team (evtl. Hornet)
December
13 Ende regulärer Flugbetrieb Schweizer Luftwaffe um 1700h LT
Flight Schedule of the Swiss Air Force 2019
PAYERNE LSMP
Main events will be the Air Policy CAP's for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos, the evaluation of the new fighter jets in summer and the week long visit of the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air, AdlA) end of August.
MEIRINGEN LSMP
A lot of Tiger activity throughout the year, but mostly only two aircrafts. PC-21 training out of Meiringen in spring and a very surprising event not yet ready for publication. The fighter aircrafts in evaluation for the NKF out of Payerne are also visiting Meiringen due there stay in Switzerland. For the Spottergroup at the Basevisits please contact me via flugzeugforum.de - Username Grimmi. Some places are still available at the moment.
EMMEN LSME
Main events are the Patrouille Suisse training week, the Hornet flights in August and some cargo aircrafts for Air Force (US Navy Herc's 'stealing' our F-5 Tiger aircrafts) and the RUAG, mainly Antonov AN-124.
