Gaceta Aeronáutica - Swiss Air Force

Military

Commercial

General Aviation

Plane Spotting

Industry

Airshows

Agenda

Publications

Staff

Deployment:
Swiss Air Force secured the World Economic Forum 2009

The local industry product Pitatus PC-21 belonging to the Swiss Air Force JEPAS (Jetpiloten Ausbildungssystem - jet pilot instruction system) take off from Sion Air Base in the south west of Switzerland

Text & photos by Robert Nispeling and Ronald de Roij

While the world’s business and government leaders discussed effective solutions to battle the current economic crisis at the World Economic Forum around Davos (WEF) in Davos, the men and women of the Swiss Armed forces were responsible for their security. The air force has been giving three tasks by the government during the WEF; sovereignty of the airspace, air transport and intelligence collection. For the protection of the air space (CAP) the F/A-18 Hornet and F-5E Tiger II were deployed from Sion Air Base. The Upper House of Parliament limits air traffic in a radius of 25 nautical miles (approximately 46 kilometres) during the WEF.

To enforce this regulation and if necessary intercept, the Air Force deployed the F/A-18C Hornet (armed with AIM-9X missiles), and F-5E Tiger II (armed win AIM-9P missiles), in order to cover the the higher air space with high speed interceptors. As well, the Pilatus PC-7 was assigned to identify targets in the lower air space. Due to the geographical proximity a close co-operation with the Austrian Air Force was maintained, since the restrictions affect also the territory of their eastern neighbour. The air space was controlled from the ground, using a network of permanent and temporary deployed sensors.

For security reasons during the WEF 2009 the Upper House of Parliament limits air traffic around Davos in a radius of 25 nautical miles (approximately 46 kilometers).

Air transport was provided by the Air force using Super Puma, Cougar and Alouette III helicopters. These were primarily used for passengers transportations. The Super Puma was also used as a carrier of thermal image cameras.

Last year Meiringen was on the roster, now the patrols were performed by the units from Payerne as the CAP-flights are rotated on a yearly basis. Training started at Sion on Wednesday 21^st January 2009, while the actual support of the WEF ran from 28 January to 1 February 2009. The F/A-18C and F-5 Tiger II flew from 08:00-18:00 daily as well as Thursday night when night training continued to 22:00.

During the World Economic Forum flights started at 08:00 and lasted until late in the day or evening according to the conference schedule. While regular flights are stopped over the lunch hour and at night, pilots and planes were ready to get airborne if needed, in which case flights could occur at any time. The 'afterdark' missions hab been flown by the F/A-18C Hornet since the F-5E Tiger II is not suited for that mission. Two F/A-18C remained on standby during the night. No actual night time scrambles had to be made this year.

On Saturday the 31^st of January, two F/A-18C of the Swiss Air Force went trough the sound barrier near Gotthard when a helicopter failed to response to the calls of a PC-7 as it had entered the restricted airspace around Davos. The helicopter was intercepted in the Thusis area and was forced to land at Samedan airport. From the start of the WEF deployment of the air force there where five intrusions of the restricted air space. Two in the training phase of the exercise and three during the Forum days. Through timely intercepts, none of the intrusions compromised the safety of the World Economic Forum. There were no intrusions on the ground necessitating action by the Swiss Armed Forces.

Hornets in the snow

A Hornet CAP taxing to the active runway.	Pilots waits tower clearance for take off.	Impresive take off in the Swiss winter lanscape.

A total of 5.000 troops on the ground and in the air supported the civilian protection efforts. The effort started six months before with planning, then three weeks of preparation and structure work, three days of training and finally five days live of the WEF. Next to the efforts on the ground the Air Force made approximately 214 flying hours with helicopters and 335 flying hours with F/A-18, F-5 and PC-7 .

As spokesperson of the Swiss Air Force commented “the assigned systems functioned perfectly - from the sensors of the surface-to-air defence over the tactical flight radar (TAFLIR) and the permanently operated military radar stations up to the constant communication possibility between the Air Force and the coordinator of the Swiss federal section for defence, civil protection and sport (VBS)”. For this special event the appointed commanding general Stutz also mentioned that the use of the ‘Miliz’-troops (Swiss Armed forces reserves) has proven itself once again.

Sion Air base

Sion Airbase was spared in the closure rounds in the last few years. The airfield serves as one of the Swiss Air Force`s semi-autonomous Airbase Commands and is the operational HQ of Flpl Kdo 14 (Airbase Command 14), whose primary aviation component is Fliegergeschwader 14 (Air Wing 14). The two main elements of this wing are Fliegerstaffeln 18 and 19, operating the F/A-18C and F-5E respectively. However this Air Wing only deploys to Sion for its annual Repetition Courses (Weiderholungskurs / WK) when its two squadrons move in temporarily from their normal peacetime operating base at Payerne. Other regular guests as the air base are the training sessions of the F-5E flight school from Payerne, which deploy six times annually to Sion.

F-5E: the Tiger of the Apls

The F-5E taxing with the canopy already open.	Full afterburner take off!	Landing at Sion AB after a CAP over Davos.

The Swiss Air Force Pilotenschule is also based in Sion, besides the training school the most obvious sign of this role is flight activity by the PC-21 trainer aircraft. Sion Air base celebrated it’s 65th anniversary last September, when the air base held an Open House.

Last but not least, spotting at Sion AB is a great opportunity for the enthusiasts. Viewing and photographing at Sion AB can be done from the airport terrace, however around 10:00 o'clock the sun lifts above the mountains backlighting the airplanes on the runway. Luckily there are 5 to 6 spots on the other side of the runway giving ample opportunity to switch backgrounds.

Netherland, February 2009

Headline photo

The F/A-18C J-5014, armed with an AIM-9X in each wintip, take off for another CAP to secure the air space around Davos.