Test for war

Swiss fighter jets land in the middle of a highway

Swiss fighter jet pilots trained for an emergency on a highway.

(Bild: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)

Switzerland is testing the worst-case scenario: in view of the tense world situation, the air force of our neighboring country has tested its capabilities for a possible war and is training to take off and land on a freeway in Payerne (see video above).

On a highway bridge in the middle of fields and with a distinct smell of liquid manure in the air, the deputy commander of the air force, Christian Oppliger, gave an initial positive assessment of the so-called "Alpha Uno capability test" on Wednesday.

Landed on the highway at 260 km/h
The pilots of the F/A-18s had made perfect landings, he said. The aircraft had a landing speed of around 260 kilometers per hour. The highway section near Payerne, south of Lake Neuchâtel, had been closed for several kilometers since the previous evening. The guard rails had been removed and the route was cleared several times before take-off, while cannon shots were used to scare away birds.

Swiss fighter jet pilots trained for an emergency on a highway.

(Bild: AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)

The last Swiss Air Force exercise of this kind took place in 1991 in the canton of Ticino. Before the end of the Cold War, such exercises took place regularly every few years. Now the threat situation has changed significantly, said Brigadier Oppliger: "The air force has to be prepared for anything." It is no longer just about defense, but also about combating enemy ground-to-air systems. The air force wants to be able to keep opponents at bay even up to 100 kilometers beyond the borders. The aim of the exercise was also to test how quickly the air force could be deployed elsewhere following a potential first strike on military airfields.

"The air force must be prepared for anything."

Brigadier Christian Oppliger

Switzerland is a neutral country that does not take part in acts of war and does not supply warring parties with material. This also applies to Ukraine. However, the concept is "defensive Switzerland", which can defend itself in the event of an attack and fend off attacks. In 2022, a procurement contract was signed with the US government for 36 modern F-35A fighter jets. The first are due to be delivered in 2027.