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That could have ended very badly. Two Patrouille Suisse aircraft collided during a training flight over Baar ZG on Thursday. The nose of a Type F-5 Tiger broke off. The incident could have serious consequences for Patrouille Suisse. The aerobatics team is now threatened with the end.
Videos show the top plane meeting the bottom tiger on the nose. Debris ends up on the company premises. One crashes into a house facade, shattering the windows. One person was injured by the splinters. The pilots were unharmed.
Things quickly get serious for the aerobatics
With the purchase of the new American F-35 stealth jets, Defense Minister Viola Amherd (61) wanted to phase out the remaining 25 Tigers of the Patrouille Suisse last year.
They would no longer be needed militarily. The costs are also “out of proportion to the benefits”. It’s all about nostalgia. The old aircraft would have to be retrofitted for nine million Swiss francs, the annual operating costs are 25 million. But parliament showed courage and decided that the flagship of the air force should remain in operation for the time being.
But in the coming months, the Patrouille Suisse will get serious again. Then Amherd has to put the $1 million loan for the art season on the table in front of parliament. The dismantling is still an issue for the DDPS, but we can hear about it. And the latest incident is likely to spark debate even among ordinary people in parliament, some suggest.
“It Just Doesn’t Fit”
SVP security politician and pilot Thomas Hurter (59) also thinks it makes little sense to continue to drive the Tiger just because of the Patrouille Suisse. However, unlike Federal Councilor Amherd, he wants to hold on to the aircraft until the new F-35 is ready for use. This is considerably cheaper than extra flying hours for the F/A-18.
SP National Councilor Franziska Roth (57) does not believe Thursday’s clash heralds the end of Patrouille Suisse. “Accidents can happen.” Rather, it is also a financial issue for them. “Despite the budget increase, the army has to turn over every franc twice. We cannot spend 25 million francs a year for purely nostalgic reasons,’ she argues. “It just doesn’t fit.”
Fierce discussions ensue
The army itself does not want to get involved in discussions about the future of its aerobatics team. However, after Thursday’s incident, the Air Force decided to halt Patrouille Suisse’s flight operations, says army spokesman Mathias Volken. “It is currently unclear when flight operations will resume.” However, this decision has no effect on the flight operations of the F-5 Tigers outside the Patrouille Suisse or on the other air force teams.
“You know that flying is not without danger,” says SVP State Councilor Werner Salzmann (60). Otherwise, the entire Air Force would have to be shut down – just like scheduled flights. The chairman of the Security Committee of the State Council is also convinced that parliament will be consistent and approve the costs of continuing to operate the Tiger aircraft. “I’m sure we will enjoy the Patrouille Suisse for a long time to come.”
Green council member Marionna Schlatter (42) sees it differently: “Even the DDPS states that the tiger is no longer needed in the military.” It is therefore absurd to complain that the military has to cut costs everywhere, “but at the same time you have money for such gimmicks”. Therefore, it is wrong to cling desperately to the tiger. “It’s like with a car: at some point, repairs just aren’t worth it anymore,” says Schlatter. “That time has now come.”
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
