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http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articl ... -2018.htmlFederal Council Approves Message on Army 2018 Plan
(Source: Swiss Dept. of Defence, Public Protection and Sport; issued Feb 14, 2018)
(Unofficial English translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)
BERN --- Meeting on February 14, 2018,
the Federal Council approved the message on the Army 2018 Plan to Parliament.
Committing to appropriations for a total of about CHF 2 billion, it sets three priorities:
modernizing certain Air Force systems,
supplementing troops' equipment, and developing the training infrastructure.
The Federal Council also called for the decommissioning
of partial or complete systems that are no longer needed,
including about half of the fleet of F-5 Tiger fighter aircraft.
Modernize Air Force Systems
For the Air Force, funding is requested for the modernization of the secondary radar (114 million francs) and primary radar (16 million francs) for the Florako airspace monitoring system.
It is also planned at the same time to replace the ground infrastructure of air force radiocommunication (126 million francs). Both systems are essential to the air force's response capability.
Additionally, the upgrade and improvement of the protection of a military installation (39 million francs) for the benefit of the Air Forces and the transformation of Hall 4 on the Payerne Air Base (27 million francs) are planned.
In addition, maintaining the operational value of the Cougar transport helicopters is necessary.
They are engaged for the transport of equipment and of personnel.
After the upgrade of the Super Puma helicopters a few years ago,
it is now necessary to modernize the Cougar (168 million francs),
which has been in service for twenty years.
This work will allow them to remain in service until at least 2030.
It is planned to decommission and sell the F-5 Tiger fighter aircraft which the army no longer needs.
The remaining 26 aircraft will continue to be engaged to relieve the F / A-18s from ancillary tasks.
They will be assigned mainly to training (serving as targets),
monitoring radioactivity
or the Swiss Patrol aerobatic team.
The easing of the missions of the F / A-18 is one of the measures required to extend their service life until 2030.
Federal Council Approves Message on Army 2018 Plan
(Source: Swiss Dept. of Defence, Public Protection and Sport; issued Feb 14, 2018)
(Unofficial English translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)
