Northrop F-5E Tiger II

At the end of the seventies, the retirement of the Venom and the increased use of the Hunter aircraft for air-to-ground attack caused a gap in the field of area air-defence which was to be closed with the Northrop F-5E Tiger II.

In 1976, after thorough evaluation, the parliament decided on the procurement of 72 Tiger fighter aircraft, 66 of the type F-5E (single seater) and 6 of the type F-5F (double seater). The parts and assemblies were manufactured in the USA, but the Swiss Federal Aircraft Factory, Emmen, carried out the final assembly.

The transition training and the introduction of these aircraft went smoothly in the aeronautical and the technical field.

These reliable Tiger aircraft were especially well suited for our militia system and therefore the parliament decided in 1981 to reinforce the fleet with 38 additional aircraft, of which 6 double seater of the type F-5F. Again, the final assembly was done in Switzerland. This acquisition was concluded in the year 1984.

The double seater type F-5F is primarily used for conversion training and control flights. The pilots of the professional and militia squadrons fly aerial combat missions mainly with the single seater F-5E aircraft, limiting their weaponry to guns and infrared missiles. Despite the fact that, compared to modern fighter aircraft, their engagement possibilities in aerial combat might be limited, the Tiger aircraft serves well in area air-defence (up to approx. 6000 m elevation).