Another issue is America’s International
Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR),
which restricts and controls the export of
technology and munitions.
As a side note, as Switzerland moves
towards another fighter jet procurement,
many of the potential bidders are still
covered by US export control policy, be
this because of direct engineering
content, such as the Gripen with
the General Electric F414 engine,
or the Eurofighter Typhoon with US
software and data.
The Rafale is the only true
independent platform on the
shopping list free of American
content and therefore security
restrictions.SERVICEABILITY
As the Hornet enters its third decade
over the Alpine nation, the Swiss
F/A-18 fleet has an average of just
over 3,000 flying hours per aircraft.
This makes Switzerland’s Hornets some of
the highest utilised of the type in service,
with each F/A-18 flying more than 200 hours
per year.
The Hornet was originally designed for6,000 flight hours but Switzerland has a
self-imposed limit of 5,000hrs, as many key
fuselage and wing-stress points have been
reworked.
Although the Hornet was designed
and conceived for aircraft carrier service,Switzerland also flies the jet hard as the transit
times from airfield to operating area are very
short. Extensive air combat training pushes
the airframe and increases the associated
downtimes required for maintenance.Mission availability has been a major
issue. Serviceability has been in constant
need of improvement, often because
airframes are waiting for parts from the US.
Unlike the F-5, which was widely supported
by a veritable array of Swiss aerospace
partners, the Hornets are reliant on US
Navy spares. Neutral Switzerland is a
small player and not seen as a
priority customer when set against
demands from the ‘home’ nation,
which is always at the forefront of
military activities, especially with
the carrier-committed fleets of C
and D model Hornets engaged in
foreign deployments.
The issue remains the top
priority for Switzerland’s F/A-18
fleet, and makes for challenging
budgeting when current operations
will continue for at least another ten
years until a fighter replacement
arrives. Co-operation with Finland,
another neutral Hornet operator,
has alleviated some parts shortages.
The ‘Structure 1’ programme has been
replaced this year with ‘Structure 2’, which
entails strengthening wings, wing root areas
and vertical stabilisers. This work is based
on data taken from the test fuselage held
with RUAG Aerospace in Emmen that is
continually being checked for early signs of
cracks and structural damage. The results
form the basis of structural improvements,
which includes titanium parts.BASES
Military flying ceased last year at Sion,
leaving Payerne and Meiringen as the main
Hornet bases. Each F/A-18 squadron briefly
deploys to Emmen, a training airfield, during
the summer for a few weeks to allow airfield
maintenance and also give the surrounding
populations some respite from the noise.
Payerne has hardened shelters and
Meiringen uses extensive caverns excavated
in the rock. With just two jet bases, the three
Hornet squadrons will continue to share a32 Aviation News incorporating Jets March 2018‘The three Hornet squadrons
will continue to share a pool of
aircraft, as individual airframes
are never assigned to a
particular squadron, whatever
unit markings or special colour
schemes may suggest’
Hornets on patrol over the Jura region of
Switzerland.A typical scene at Meiringen as four Hornets taxi back to their dispersal after a training mission.28-33_swiss_hornetsDC.mfDC.indd 32 05/02/2018 12:56