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  Axalp Aviation-Shooting 2023
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Text:

Michael E. Fader

Pictures:

Michael E. Fader


 

 

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   
 

WINGS-AVIATION has been reporting on the Royal Thai Air Force's Air Tactical Operations Competition in Chandy and the Swiss Air Force's air firing competition at Axalp - Ebenfluh (BE) for years. Basically, the events are very similar and demonstrate the capabilities of the two air forces in the use of aircraft with live ammunition. However, the two events are totally different. This starts with the journey to the event.At Axalp, an ascent into the high alpine environment at 2,250 metres is necessary, which is not exactly easy and demanded a great deal from the untrained editor of WINGS-AVATION, even pushing him to his limits.

 

The ascent began in the early hours of the morning with a leisurely ride in the Postbus to the valley station of the Axalp ski lift. The ski lift, which was opened especially for this event before the season, took visitors to the Windegg mountain station. Now you can only continue on foot. The path leads to the south face of the Tschingel in just under two hours. Experienced hikers are certainly faster, but I had considerable difficulty with the challenging terrain. The "path", which did not exist as such, led over hill and dale. There were barriers in very dangerous places, otherwise you had to find your own way. After a good two hours, I arrived exhausted on the Tschingel.

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Support flights of the Eeurocopter EC-635 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Anflug und Abflug von Super Pumas (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

         

Mc Donnell Douglas F-18C Hornet

       

The aerial shooting was opened by three F/A-18 Hornets firing their 20 mm cannon at the targets scattered on the slopes. The F/A-18 Hornets from Meiringen's Flying Squadron 11 shot at the targets from different directions, which didn't exactly make it easy for the photographers. The hit rate was reported immediately by the control tower and was surprisingly good.

The F/A-18 Hornet flew at the targets several times from six different attack directions, aiming at a slight descent of 15 degrees for two to three seconds before firing the on-board cannons at a speed of 800 km/h and a range of around 1.2 to 1.8 kilometres. Just over a second later, the spectators can see the projectiles hit the targets. No sooner had the targets flown over than the Hornets disappeared behind the next ridge.

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Air policing

   

The alert flight of two F/A-18Cs from Payerne intercepted an intruder (Cessna Citation Excel) in Swiss airspace over Axalp. The procedures for intercepting an aircraft were demonstrated within sight of the audience, from visual identification to warnings with wing sweeps and guidance to landing. A Superpuma then demonstrated the same procedure for intercepting a propeller driven aircraft (Pilatus PC-7), using a flare gun from the helicopter. This procedure is used during the WEF in Davos to escort private pilots out of the no-fly zone around Davos.

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Trainer & Fighter  (PC-7 PC-21 Hornet)

   

Daniel "Stampa" Stämpfli used a Pilatus PC-21 to demonstrate the capabilities of the training aircraft in the high mountains. He used valleys and mountains to demonstrate the aircraft's capabilities. As we were on the Axalp on Tuesday, the training day, he was able to extend the programme and fly additional manoeuvres. It was obvious that he really enjoyed manoeuvring around up here. At the end there was a flypast of a Pilatus PC-7, Pilatus PC-21 and a Mc Donnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   
 

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

 
   

F-18C Hornet Display

   

A single F/A-18C with the registration J-5018 then impressively demonstrated the flying capabilities of the Hornet. The agility of the fighter was demonstrated with fast and slow overflights and quick manoeuvres. The climb performance was particularly impressive when the pilot brought the aircraft into a vertical position and radioed the altitude from 3,000 metres to around 14,00 metres in just a few seconds.

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

(Picture courtesy Urs Schnyder)

   

KSK (Kommando Spezial Kräfte)

   

The Special Forces Command (KSK)  flew in with two Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porters. One "Felix" was in the colours of the Patroillie Suisse and is usually used by the squadron commander. The second was camouflaged and the difference in visibility in the terrain was striking. Both aeroplanes dropped paratroopers. However, the parachutists did not land on the Ebenenfluh, but flew past the Tschingel and down into the valley to Meiningen. Until 31 December 2011, the Special Forces Command (KSK) was known as the Armed Forces Reconnaissance and Grenadier Formation (AGFA) and is an amalgamation of the Swiss Armed Forces' special operations units. AGFA was founded on 1 January 2004 and is currently commanded by Colonel Nicola Guerini of the General Staff.

The second exercise was the dismounting of eight grenadiers who also belong to the KSK. They demonstrated the use of rocket-propelled grenades against targets on the slope. The eight grenadiers abseiled down from the lifting helicopter and brought two rocket tubes into position. The enemy was "held down" with assault rifles and then attacked with the RPG's. Interestingly, the targets were not hit, but that was intentional, because live ammunition was used and replacing the targets on the mountain slopes is extremely time-consuming. That's why the shots are always slightly off target. The grenadiers were then disembarked using a long rope to which the grenadiers held on.

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

Patrouille Suisse

   

The Patrouille Suisse concluded the programme. How long this squadron can and may continue to fly is uncertain. After all, the Northrop F-5E Tiger is no longer in squadron service with the Swiss Air Force, making Patrouille Suisse the only operator of this type. Due to the financial burden of the squadron, efforts are being made to disband the team. 

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

   

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)

Am 15. und 16. Oktober 2025 finden voraussichtlich die Flugvorführungen der Schweizer Luftwaffe auf dem Fliegerschiessplatz Axalp – Ebenfluh (BE) statt. Dabei führt die Luftwaffe ihre Leistungsbereitschaft inmitten der alpinen Umgebung vor. Das Training findet am 14. Oktober 2025 statt.


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last update 24. December 2023

Written  10. December 2023

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