Translated
Bern, 01/30/2023 – In January, the Federal Office for Armaments (armasuisse) handed over the first two of the six reconnaissance drones and the material required for flight operations to the Air Force. The military aviation authority has issued the necessary certification. This means that the Air Force can now start building up the operational capabilities for the ADS 15 reconnaissance drone system. The remaining drones will be handed over by the end of 2023.
As early as December 2022, the military aviation authority MAA issued the type approval for the airworthiness of the reconnaissance drone system (ADS 15). The approval came after intensive ground and flight tests with the two drones that have already been delivered to Switzerland. With these tests, the airworthiness of the ADS 15 could be checked in conjunction with the Swiss infrastructure.
The drones with the registration D-11 and D-14 and associated material such as ground control stations, sensors as well as logistics and training material have now been handed over to the Air Force. This allows the Air Force to begin building operational capabilities on the new system and gain experience step by step; In addition to flight practice, this also includes support and logistics services or interoperability with the other systems of the army.
In October 2022, the third drone (registration D-16) arrived in Switzerland from Israel. Since then, the drone has undergone various tests. It is also to be handed over to the Air Force by mid-2023. At the same time, armasuisse, in cooperation with the supplier Elbit, will test further system elements and, after testing in Israel, will release them for transport to Switzerland.
The remaining three drones are expected to be delivered by the end of 2023. In addition, there are two ground control stations, sensors and logistics material. After receiving the material, the Air Force will first roll out the professional organization on the system so that it will have the capabilities to use the drones operationally by mid-2024. After that, the militia officers of Drone Squadron 7 will also be retrained on the system.
