Swiss Air Force

Key facts

Official Name Swiss Air Force
Local Name Schweizer Luftwaffe - Forces aΓ©riennes suisses
CountryπŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
World rank#58
Active aircrafts146 as of 2025
Aircrafts on order36
Roundel

Roundel of Switzerland air force

Overview

The Swiss Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Swiss Armed Forces. Established in 1914, it operates in Switzerland's airspace primarily for defense purposes. The Air Force is divided into two major commands - the Air Force Operations Command and the Air Force Training Command. The former is responsible for carrying out military operations and maintaining readiness, while the latter oversees training programs for pilots and other personnel. The Air Force operates a wide range of aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, and transport planes. Notably, Switzerland's air defense relies heavily on its fleet of fighter jets, with the F/A-18 Hornet being the primary aircraft in this role. Additionally, the Air Force maintains helicopter squadrons for various purposes, such as search and rescue missions. The Swiss Air Force also participates in international cooperation and regularly takes part in air policing missions, training exercises, and joint operations with neighboring countries and NATO partners.

Origin countries of aircrafts

Country Active Aircraft
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States 54
πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland 48
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· France 40
πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany 23
πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Canada 3
πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ή Austria 1

Evolution of Swiss Air Force fleet

Aircrafts by type in 2025

Aircraft type Active
Combat Combat 80
Helicopter Helicopter 40
Transport Transport 17
Training Training 8
Other missions Other missions 1

Full inventory in 2025

Swiss Air Force

Aircraft Type Model Origin Country Model Year Active 𝚫 YoY Ordered
CombatCombat PC-7 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ 1978 27
0
0
CombatCombat F/A-18C πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ 1983 25
0
0
CombatCombat F-5E πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ 1976 18
0
0
CombatCombat F-5F πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ 1965 5
0
0
CombatCombat F/A-18D πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ 1983 5
0
0
CombatCombat F-35A πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ 2013 0
0
36
HelicopterHelicopter H215M/AS332/532 πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ πŸ‡«πŸ‡· 1978 23
-1
0
HelicopterHelicopter H135M/EC635 πŸ‡«πŸ‡· 1996 17
0
0
TransportTransport PC-6 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ 1960 14
0
0
TransportTransport Challenger 604 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ 1980 2
0
0
TransportTransport DHC-6 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ 1966 1
0
0
TrainingTraining PC-21 πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ 2008 7
0
0
TrainingTraining DA42 πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ή 2004 1
0
0
Other missionsOther missions King Air 350 πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ 1964 1
0
0
Various public data, including Wikipedia, Flightglobal.com, SIPRI Arms Transfer and official government websites.