Why do the Swiss fly the F-18 Hornet//? any guesses?
- Thread starter Jackson
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Matt308
Glock Perfection
Uhh... good multipurpose airplane perhaps?
More capability than Mirage?
Better avionics/weapons interoperability than MiG/Sukhoi?
Greater historical track record than Rafale or Gripen?
Available now versus Typhoon?
Cheaper than F-15?
More capable multirole than F-16?
Not Chinese?
More capability than Mirage?
Better avionics/weapons interoperability than MiG/Sukhoi?
Greater historical track record than Rafale or Gripen?
Available now versus Typhoon?
Cheaper than F-15?
More capable multirole than F-16?
Not Chinese?
I dont know ask our resident Swiss F-18 pilot who is a member here. Or I could ask my soon to be Swiss Brother In Law who is also in the Swiss armed forces (part time whe he is not playing around with the Swiss Banking and Stock markets).
I would guess because it soots there purpose for what they need it to do.
I would guess because it soots there purpose for what they need it to do.
Exactly. Why is it so surprising anyway? Just because everyone is flying F-16's doesn't mean those with a little more cash don't spend a little more to get a little (like the Swiss have done with the F-18)...
- Thread starter
- #5
For steam catapult launch from hidden caves// obvious, but not intuitive..
Ya pick up odd bit's here in DC
I will get some links later.. they are easily found, but this is not well publicized.
Here is one I found interesting recently, that reminded me of the Swiss F-18
BBC NEWS | Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | Swiss still braced for nuclear war
Oh yeah, the wings fold too, so they can store more of them in a smaller area.. those mountain dug outs are expensive by the Sq/m
Ya pick up odd bit's here in DC
I will get some links later.. they are easily found, but this is not well publicized.
Here is one I found interesting recently, that reminded me of the Swiss F-18
BBC NEWS | Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | Swiss still braced for nuclear war
Oh yeah, the wings fold too, so they can store more of them in a smaller area.. those mountain dug outs are expensive by the Sq/m
The hollowed out mountains have been there since WW2. I have been to some of them as I have a soon to be relative in the Swiss Army. They are all self sustaining bunkers. Every town has buildings with false walls that when opened contain a machine gun nest or a cannon of some sort. The moutains too have false walls that open up to reviel large cannons and machine guns. The whole country is bascially a fortress.
They were originaly built in WW2 to defend against a possible German attack.
They were originaly built in WW2 to defend against a possible German attack.
Glider
Captain
Add that it is more robust and they use short take off and landings than most of the alternatives. Its also multi role able to fight and bomb.
The mystery was why did they buy Mirages in the first place.
The mystery was why did they buy Mirages in the first place.
Felt sorry for the French...
HealzDevo
Staff Sergeant
Perhaps. Who knows? Perhaps the Swiss were worried that if they built their own it would be too complex and maintenance intensive...
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Built their own? With all due respect to the Swiss, the only thing they could afford to develop in a modern fighter like the F-18 is the cockpit clock...
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Yep!
That's quite fascinating... I was figuring it had to do with operation out of short airfields and improvised roads.
That's how you know what country really rules the world. The one that actually cares that much about it's people and develops the resources to protect them, rather than spending all their time doing stupid stuff.
I'm amazed that's stayed a secret with almost everybody being in the military...
Yeah, just because they eat chocolate and ski a lot doesn't mean they're not tough: They are one of the toughest nations on earth.
First of all, they are a neutral power and hold the purse strings to most of the world's wealth: The Bank of Industrial Settlements is located there (Basel), and if you have the whole world dependent on your dough, they don't touch you. Even if one was stupid enough, people who own money know how to keep it safe (think about bank vaults).Built their own? With all due respect to the Swiss, the only thing they could afford to develop in a modern fighter like the F-18 is the cockpit clock...
Also, if one country postures to oppose you; you can just finance another country to counter-oppose them except for very rapid events (nuclear war).
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
And first of all they are is a bank and don't have the authority, ability or desire to use someone else's money to finance a combat aircraft that would take years to develop. SECOND they don't have the desire or the need to build an indigenous combat aircraft, they tried once and learned their lesson.
FFA P-16 - Wikipedia
And you think it's that easy especially in western "neutral" Europe? For members, that's what NATO is for.
The Swiss like the Swedish believe in armed neutrality, they are not pacifists, they will fight for their country, bu no one elses. That is a historically sensible position since they speak Italian French and German. Beautiful as it is, and I have driven a ca through from Milan to Moenchengladbach it would be a nightmare to invade. My journey used countless bridges and tunnels which I suspect they would deny to an invader, it is a mountain range.
swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 3,995
- Jun 25, 2013
Why the F-18? They're decided it's the best aircraft for their needs.
There's also been quite a lot of nonsense written about the country, especially its gun laws. By the way , by what bizarre logic does one conclude that alpine skiing and eating doesn't require one to be tougher than, say, watching football and eating pork rinds?
There's also been quite a lot of nonsense written about the country, especially its gun laws. By the way , by what bizarre logic does one conclude that alpine skiing and eating doesn't require one to be tougher than, say, watching football and eating pork rinds?
Yes, but remember the golden-rule: Them that's gots the gold makes the rules.
Actually they developed several designs, the EFW N.20 Aquillon, the FFA P-16, and the ALR Piranha. Regardless, they generally have been fine with purchasing foreign designs, which worked out okay for them.
IMHO, I would prefer to always buy local when it comes to arms industry as it's not good to be dependent on foreigners for your weapons, but it doesn't matter in their case because, they're a bank/nation in one. That's an insurance policy
That's a pretty smart position to operate from. You don't get tangled up in alliances with other nations, and aggression basically requires loads of money, and without conquest you just waste it all doing nothing, and kill lots of people.
Oh yeah, plus the whole population is armed, they can operate planes out of tunnels and land on roads if need be, they have the means to provide their whole population with protection from even nuclear bombardment, and most towns and cities have hidden walls where a machine-gunner or sniper could perch himself.
You'd have to have a death wish to even think of doing it. Plus, with the financial control they'd exert, they probably would be able to undermine your country economically, turn other nations against you, and their mercenaries and spies are probably quite remarkable.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
The fact that they're "a bank" is irrelevant and somewhat silly, especially in this day and age where money could be moved at the stroke of a keyboard. They are not going to fiance an indigenous combat aircraft with someone else's money and even if threatened. They learned after the failure of the P-16 that they were better off buying foreign combat aircraft and in this day and age you just don't sh!t out a competitive combat aircraft even if you're a bank or have your capital building built of solid gold. The Swiss are good at keeping themselves armed to the teeth so if anyone tried to invade them it would be like sitting on a cactus. Swampyankee nailed it...
"There's also been quite a lot of nonsense written about the country."
BTW I once worked for SR Technics SR Technics | MRO Solutions | MRO Services so I know just a little about these folks!
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Zipper you are special, what is "local" and what is "foreign" and what has being a "bank/nation" (whatever that is), got to do with it?
There is no doubt Russia could overwhelm Switzerland if it bordered Russia but it doesnt, Germany could have overwhelmed Switzerland but Adolf would have to forget about invading France or Russia, during which time Germany would probably have been invaded by France or Russia. That is what armed neutrality is all about.
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