Switzerland's armed forces offer a mobilised strength of more than 350,000 personnel, and exist primarily to protect the nation's borders from invasion - in line with its long-held neutral status.
The tasks assigned to the Swiss air force reflect this concept of national defence, with the potentially 30,000-strong service equipped with aircraft armed only for interception tasks linked to protecting the sovereignty of Swiss airspace. Unlike most of its European counterparts, the air force has no plans to acquire a multirole fighter aircraft with ground-attack capabilities.
The Swiss air force this month celebrated its 90th anniversary with a two-day air show at Payerne airbase - an event that attracted 275,000 spectators (over 100,000 more than the UK's Royal International Air Tattoo). Thirty-three Boeing F-18C/D Hornet fighters form the backbone of Switzerland's air defence force, supported by a number of Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II fighter/trainers. Acquired under a 1992 deal worth almost SFr3.5 billion ($2.3 billion), the F-18s are expected to remain in service until around 2030.
Switzerland's 2003 procurement budget allocated more than SFr400 million to arm its 26 single-seat F-18Cs and seven two-seat F-18Ds with Raytheon's AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile and to launch an extensive modernisation package. Dubbed Upgrade 21, this will equip the aircraft with improved communications and self-protection systems, plus the Vision Systems International Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System for use with the AIM-9X.
Although not a member of the 26-strong NATO club of nations, Switzerland is a signatory to the alliance's 20-nation Partnership for Peace mechanism, and has had a permanent presence at NATO headquarters in Brussels since 1997. A key priority for the newly formed Armasuisse procurement agency is to complete the air force's planned acquisition of two EADS Casa C-295 transports to support its overseas training and peacekeeping commitments - a move fiercely questioned by the Swiss government's political opponents.
The C-295, first selected to meet the air force's transport requirement in December 2000, has fallen victim to Switzerland's neutrality, which has restricted support for the rest of the armed forces. Armasuisse has requested SFr109 million to complete the purchase this year, with this forming part of a proposed SFr647 million package of procurements. Most of this budget - SFr268 million - will cover the cost of integrating a datalink with Switzerland's Florako national air surveillance radar system.
Given the lack of threat to its borders, the long service life of the F-18 and opposition to the acquisition of transport aircraft, Switzerland's planned purchase of an F-5 replacement could also face difficulties. The air force will launch a formal process in 2006 to acquire 24-30 new fighters to replace its last F-5s from 2010. The air force has reduced its F-5 inventory to three squadrons from five, leaving a retained fleet of about 54 aircraft.
Saab/BAE Systems joint-venture Gripen International says its Gripen is a strong candidate for the future fighter requirement, citing the type's common engine and weapons fit with the F-18 as a positive selling point. "We're going to have a bit of a fight on our hands, but Switzerland can have a mixed and dual-source fighter force," says Gripen International managing director Ian McNamee. Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet could also contest the requirement.
The Swiss air force is already facing a training gap that emerged with the recent retirement of its 19 BAE Systems Hawk 66 jet trainers. The service now uses the Pilatus PC-7 turboprop and F-5F to instruct its new F-18 crews, but is interested in the Swiss manufacturer's new PC-21 trainer. Switzerland is among 12 nations assessing the possible formation of the Advanced European Jet Pilot Training (AEJPT) or Eurotraining scheme, which seeks to deliver a collective training capability from 2012-13.
Pilatus holds a support role on the G5 Eurotraining industrial consortium, and hopes to sell its digital cockpit-equipped PC-21 to fulfil elements of the likely AEJPT syllabus.
CRAIG HOYLE / LONDON
Source: Flight International
