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https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/ ... -f-5s-2027
March 15, 2024
Swiss commanders have outlined plans to retire the Northrop F-5 Tiger combat aircraft in 2027,
bringing to an end
its famous international aerobatic team, the Patrouille Suisse.
As the Swiss Air Force prepares for the arrival of the first Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in 2028,
commanders have concluded that the service has
“neither the need, personnel, finances or infrastructure,”
to keep the F-5 Tiger fleet in operation during the transition to the F-35,
service chiefs declared on March 15.
But the service’s F/A-18 Hornet fleet will continue to operate until 2030
once the F-35 has been introduced.
Commanders have already concluded
that the Tigers cannot be used for air policing
because of their outdated sensors and armaments.
So the 25-strong fleet has been relegated to secondary duties, including target towing, training and aerobatic displays.
Tiger operations, officials say, are currently relieving the F/A-18 Hornet fleet of such secondary tasks, extending Hornet life.
The F-5’s retirement will bring an end to the Patrouille Suisse aerobatic team,
which has flown the F-5 since 1994, replacing Hawker Hunters.
Officials say they still want to retain a flight demonstration team
“to demonstrate the work, capabilities and importance of the Air Force to a wide audience.”
But the most sensible solution is to make the existing Swiss Air Force PC-7 display team
—flying the Pilatus PC-7 turboprop trainer—
the flagship aerobatic team for the service.
Maintaining the Patrouille Suisse’s operation of the F-5 beyond 2027
would demand investments to be made
in ejection seats,
aircraft avionics and
navigation.
At least 12 aircraft would need to be kept operational—
10 single-seat and two twin-seat aircraft.
Officials say such an investment would cost around 9 million Swiss francs ($10.2 million).
The plans will now be discussed with Security Policy Committees in the Swiss Parliament.
The pensioning off of the Patrouille Suisse
could mark the beginning of the end for some of Europe’s best-known aerobatic teams,
which are reliant on increasingly older aircraft.
The Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows fly Hawks that are around 50 years old—
the team is the last operator of the BAE Systems T1 model Hawk in the UK.
Spain’s Patrulla Aguila team continues to fly the CASA C-101 Aviojet even though the type has been withdrawn from the training role.
Italy had planned to introduce Leonardo’s M345 as the mount for the Frecce Tricolori that flies the Aermacchi MB339,
but the transition has yet to take place due to the delayed introduction of the M345 into Italian service.