How Switzerland Defends its Neutrality

To defend this neutrality, which has been in place as an act of government since 1812, the Swiss defence force sports the world’s highest density of surface-to-air missile launchers and AAA guns in addition to over 300 combat aircraft, half of which are primarily tasked with the air defence role. The Flugwaffe operates from three primary peacetime air bases situated at Dubendorf (near Zurich), Emmen and Payerne. In war time the entire combat force would deploy to the safety of specially built Kavernen in the Swiss Alps. These formidable bases are tunnelled deep into the mountains and the only external reminder as to their purpose is a single runway and a GCA beacon. There are twelve Kavernen in all; they are virtually impregnable and are defended in depth by radar-guided AAA guns situated atop the surrounding mountains. Any attacker wishing to make a low-level pass would have to first penetrate a suicidal wall of 20 mm, 30 mm and 35 mm AAA in addition to having to contend with the problems of rising ground and unfamiliar terrain, almost as hostile an enemy as the guns themselves. Additionally, an attacking aircraft would have to bravely waiting for Flugwaffe CAPs (Combat Air Patrols) and the integrated belt of Bloodhound medium-range SAMs in order to regain his own territory.

Each Kavernen is built to accommodate two squadrons which would typically equate to around thirty aircraft in addition to upwards of 2000 personnel with sufficient food, stores and fuel for up to two years’ confined operation. Each Kavernen has a well-equipped airfield repair unit in addition to a comprehensive hospital and is able to tap filtered air and clean underground water sources ad infinitum. Switzerland is one of the few nations on Earth that does have an integrated defence policy. Conscription ensures that almost all Swiss citizens participate to some extent in the defence of their homeland while each Swiss citizen is adequately catered for with well-stocked underground shelters in the event of thermonuclear war.

Each Kavernen has only one entrance tunnel, which is protected by a one-hundred-tonne steel door. Aircraft are parked in the normal manner inside in addition to being secured on electrically driven hoists and hung from the ceilings. In many ways a Kavernen is not that dissimilar from a USN carrier except that a carrier can be sunk, a mountain cannot! Pilots undergo training at these mountain bases twice a year and typically at least two such bases are operational at a time on a rotational system. What makes the Swiss fighter pilot so effective is his training and operation from the Kavernen, a key factor in honing the unique skills required to be able to fight and survive in such inhospitable terrain. The thin mountain air, With bases typically five to six thousand feet above sea level, necessitates the use of special flying techniques while aircraft themselves generally suffer from longer takeoff rolls and higher approach speeds which are themselves not helped by the 11-degree glideslope angle required by the GCA systems. Weather can change within minutes and even catabatic winds of up to sixty knots have been recorded. All this tests the skills of the pilot to the limits and places him a step above any adversary who may wish to penetrate his sovereign airspace.

The Flugwaffe itself operates three principal combat types – the Mirage IIIS, the Hawker Hunter and more recently the Northrop F-5E Tiger II.

GAM Dassault Mirage IIIS and RS

Switzerland operates a total of 57 Mirages comprising 36 IIIS in the interceptor role, 18 IIIRS for the dedicated photo reconnaissance role and two IBS dual-seat trainers. One aircraft, a Mirage IIIC was also initially purchased for trial purposes. While the Flugwaffe are very happy with their Mirage aircraft they still live under the political embarrassment that this aircraft caused back in the sixties when the politicians and military chiefs of the time well and truly ‘got it wrong’. What transpired was the ‘Mirage Affair’ which ultimately toppled the ruling government of the day.

Basically, the Flugwaffe required an aircraft to augment the then-new fleet of subsonic ground attack-orientated Hawker Hunters and Venoms. They required an air defence fighter that could intercept a high-flying aircraft transiting Swiss airspace. The choice of the Mirage seemed obvious and so in 1960, the Swiss Parliament approved the purchase of 100 aircraft for a programme cost of Sw. Fr. 871 million. However, major modifications to the basic Mirage IC were required for it to be effective in its appointed role. A more comprehensive Hughes Taran radar was substituted for the French Cyrano, a specially designed hydraulically extendable nose wheel had to be fitted to enable the Mirage to enter the Kavernen mountain bases, the aircraft had to be modified to accept the Hughes Falcon radar-guided AAM and the ground attack AS 30 in addition to the fitment of SEPR 844 auxiliary rocket motors to enable operation from the restrictive mountain strips. All this then led to a price escalation of more than 66% in four short years which, unlike our own situation with the F-18A, which is primarily the result of a vastly depreciated Australian dollar and the effects of monetary inflation, resulted in the Swiss Parliament calling for a reduction in the number of aircraft to be purchased from 100 to 57. What transpired though was that the additional per-aircraft cost attributable to a lower production rate over a longer period of time, coupled with a number of penalties to be paid to Dassault, resulted in a negligible saving. At the time though, it was politically unacceptable to continue with the initial purchase agreement and to this day the Flugwaffe have to tread warily when discussing future hardware requirements for their various capabilities.

The Mirage though, is highly thought of amongst Flugwaffe pilots. It is the top-of-the-line aircraft in the inventory and is primarily tasked with ensuring that any hostile intruder does not penetrate the Swiss border by more than a few kilometres. To this end around two-thirds of Mirage IIIS pilots are professionals, the remainder being part-time militia. Swiss Mirages have a specially modified undercarriage which is designed for impacts of up to 4. 5G, a necessary requirement for the often super-high sink rates experienced under emergency conditions in the mountain airfields. The Hughes Taran 1S target acquisition radar and fire control system is also considered to be a cut above the traditional CFS Cyrano while the Falcon HM-55 AAM provides an all-weather medium to high altitude intercept capability ideal against medium-sized aircraft. The Swiss have updated their Sidewinders over a period and the current stocks are relatively equivalent to AIM-9P standards. Fatigue studies, conducted in conjunction with Australia, have indicated that the Swiss Mirages will be able to operate well into the early nineties. The secret here is that each Mirage flies barely 100 hours per annum. Not that they are rarely flown, the trick is that in Switzerland, two minutes after rotation, you are well and truly in the training area!

In addition to the IIIS, the Flugwaffe gains the vast majority of its immediate photo recce capability from 18 Mirage IIIRS aircraft which carry a comprehensive array of night/day cameras and infra-red line scan. These aircraft are largely flown by the part-time militia and can operate at great ranges well beyond the borders of Switzerland should war occur. In peacetime though, neutrality is more than just a buzzword and any pilot who departs Swiss airspace would have a very short flying career.

Northrop F-5E Tiger II

The F-5E has an extremely good reputation as a cost-efficient fighter that is both relatively inexpensive to acquire, maintain and operate. Following the debacle of the ‘Mirage Affair’ the Swiss defence forces found the established Northrop product ably suited to their requirements as a Venom replacement. The Flugwaffe has signed for a total of 104 aircraft spread over two batches. All except the lead 13 aircraft are to be assembled locally at the government-owned aircraft factory at Emmen (as was the Mirage and Hunter) while deliveries will continue through to 1985.

The F-5E Tiger II will be largely employed in the air defence and ground attack roles as required though its primary aim will be in support of Mirage operations, enabling local air superiority to remain in their possession of the Swiss. The Swiss Tigers differ from the standard US model in that they employ INS, an anti-skid brake system (which is most effective on icy mountain runways) and nosewheel steering for enhanced manoeuvring in confined spaces. The F-5E can operate from snow-covered runways which is something that its Hunter and Mirage compatriots cannot. The armament of the tiger is standard, with twin 20 mm cannons and five external store stations enabling a variety of armaments to be carried for the all-important ground support role.

Hawker Hunter Mk 58

The beautiful Hunter is a perfect example of what can be done with proper maintenance of an old combat aircraft. Maintained in traditional Swiss watch style, the Hunter forms the backbone of the Flugwaffe ground support force. In the event of hostilities, the role of the 140 or so Hunters still in service (160 were initially acquired from 1958 to 1968) would be to destroy the enemy ground forces, which would largely comprise heavily defended armoured columns in addition to a number of specialist commando style groups tasked with sabotage. It is here that the Hunter’s excellent endurance, responsive low-level flying characteristics and heavy armour of four 30 mm cannons plus an assortment of unguided rockets and Maverick PGM missiles make it an ideal aircraft in which to decimate an armoured thrust. Indeed the entire philosophy of the Swiss defence forces is to stop the attack at the border. The troops are extremely familiar with every inch of their home ground and are supported in depth by special anti-tank squads designed to fight and live in the deep forest for extended periods. Similarly, the Hunter pilots know exactly where they want their targets in order to deliver the greatest hindrance to their progress. This policy kept Hitler from invading Switzerland during World War II though latter-day evidence suggests that in 42/43 much study was undertaken of such an invasion – the unanimous opinion was that it was simply not viable due to the high casualty rate that would ensue. Modern-day Switzerland hopes that others feel the same way!

The Flugwaffe is certainly an all-teeth and little-tail organisation as the bulk of its aircraft during hostilities would be well and truly in the battle. The ground forces are supported directly in the field by a rotary wing force of 26 Alouette cells and 80 Alouette Ills. The cells are primarily used for recce, liaison and medevac while the larger Ill can carry up to six combat troops and is used for inserting crack anti-tank teams, commandoes and the positioning of 20 mm anti-aircraft guns by way of the sling. The Swiss army in battle would operate in total harmony with their air arm, the helos, the fighter bombers and the land forces as one in a concentrated effort to defend their territory. It is in this area that many comparisons can be drawn between Israel and Switzerland. They both have highly skilled populations, both are essentially small states with a significant amount of border to monitor and defend. Israel IS a combat zone though, while Switzerland isn’t, but the same attitude to making old equipment new that was the international hallmark of Israel through the fifties and sixties still lives today in mountainous Switzerland. Fighting in Hunters and training in Vampires provides essentially the same end result and allows ultimately more money for a greater number of aircraft.

Training

More than 90% of the Swiss defence force personnel are part-time soldiers. This is because the 1812 Act of Neutrality forbade Switzerland to have professional full-time soldiers. This policy was carried through till just prior to World War II. When conflict in Europe seemed inevitable the government decided to introduce a core of specialists to augment the large civilian reserve forces. In fact, during the early days of the Swiss Air Force, funding was obtained by staging air shows to enable the force to remain operational! Even today, there are only 140 full-time professional  pilots in the employ of the Flugwaffe. These are then backed up by around 3000 regular personnel, most of which work for the government-owned aircraft factories and undertake most of the maintenance required on the service’s 400-plus aircraft, in addition to 6000 conscripts and 45,000 reservists.

The training system is one of the most complex in the world and again is a unique reaction to the problem of not having a large permanent force of personnel. Basically speaking, each year around 35,000 young men are called up for military training at age 19. Most of these will join the land army though some of these men would have volunteered for flying operations when they were 18. Upon passing a variety of stringent and demanding tests the successful applicants then proceed to the Swiss Aero Club, which is sponsored by the government. The applicant will then undergo two weeks of training in his 18th and 19th years. This will then determine whether or not he is suitable for continued flying training and will carry him through to the PPL standard. Things get tougher though when our aspiring aviator reaches his 20th birthday. It is now that he will undergo a four-month selection and training course. This course takes him through the full regime of military discipline in addition to flying training on the P-3 piston-engined trainer. This course is designed to explore the pilot potential rather than to teach him to fly. All this time he is still a civilian and being instructed on a part-time basis, as the remaining eight months of the year will be spent at his normal civilian employ. Two groups of forty each go through this procedure each year with the objective of graduating 35 pilots per annum.

Those who have survived to date then proceed onto a five-month course which includes an anon-commissioned officer course then onto the Vampire trainer, which is currently being replaced by the turboprop Pilatus PC-7. He then proceeds onto the single-seat Vampire for formation flying training and instrument flying.

Year 21 sees our aviator learning to fight with his aircraft as he flies tactical missions in the Vampire, firing live ammunition and performing as a part of an integrated attack force. At the end of this course, the pupil has attained around 250 hours of flying time and gained his wings. It is at this time that the newly certified pilot decides whether to remain in the militia as a part-time pilot or to opt for professional full-time status. Position vacancies in the latter however are limited and most join the militia or the reserve. Many also are flying for Swissair which also adds to the overall flying capabilities of an average Swissair crew as at least one member of the flight deck crew will be an active combat pilot. In this way, Swiss air arm pilots may be dentist, a doctor or a plumber one week and an F-5E driver the next. Units and squadrons are teamed together and rotate around the three major peacetime bases in addition to annual familiarisation stints in the Kavernen. All this then adds up to a large number of people who can perform a wide variety of specialised functions which in the event of hostilities means that Switzerland can rapidly mobilise 625,000 people or about ten per cent of the total population in 48 hours.

This is how the Swiss air force defends its neutrality. By a mixture of constantly updating their equipment and relying upon stringent training procedures, one of the world’s smallest nations can truly lay claim to being virtually impregnable.