For the first time, the Gripen E/F test aircraft will be flying over Switzerland. On 10-11 October the aircraft will participate in th...
For the first time, the Gripen E/F test aircraft will be flying over Switzerland. On 10-11 October the aircraft will participate in the annual flight demonstration by the Swiss Air Force at Axalp-Ebenfluh air force firing range.
Last Wednesday morning the aircraft arrived in Switzerland after a non-stop flight from Linköping in Sweden.
Gripen will stay in Switzerland from 3-12 October and it will be based at Emmen Airbase.
The two-seater test aircraft will be flown by Swiss pilots from armasuisse and from the Swiss Air Force, with a Saab test pilot in the back seat.
In addition to the Axalp flight demonstrations, the programme for next week will include a presentation of the aircraft on 9 October to the Swiss Defence Committees, both in the air and on the ground. There to, armasuisse will host a press meeting about Gripen on Friday 12 October.
On 30 November last year the Switerland selected Gripen E/F as the preferred candidate to replace the Swiss Air Force's ageing fleet of Northrop F-5E/F Tiger.
The Gripen E aircraft delivered to Switzerland will be a state-of-the-art fighter aircraft system with advanced capabilities. The new software and hardware (e.g. the new AESA radar) of the next generation Gripen E have been tested and demonstrated in the Gripen E/F test aircraft.
