Patrouille Suisse

File:PatrouilleSuisse1991.jpgs in 1991]]

The Patrouille Suisse was founded on 22 August 1964 with four Hawker Hunters. Two displays were also flown 1968 with the Dassault Mirage III under the name "Patrouille de Suisse Mirage". Other than those shows the Patrouille Suisse retained the Hunter. In 1970, a fifth aircraft was added to the team, followed by the sixth shortly thereafter. In 1977 a smoke system was introduced.Insider (Patrouille Suisse Fanclub Newspaper) 2014 Page 9

The Patrouille Suisse flew its Hawker Hunters for the last time in 1994 and transitioned to the faster and more maneuverable Northrop F-5E Tiger II adding smoke systems in 1996. In April the following year, a Pilatus PC-6 Porter single-engine turboprop light aircraft was assigned as a support aircraft, painted in the team's colour scheme.[http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/de/home/verbaende/einsatz_lw/kunstflugteam/ps/photogallery0.html Patrouille Suisse photo gallery - official Swiss Air Force website (in German)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614063355/http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/de/home/verbaende/einsatz_lw/kunstflugteam/ps/photogallery0.html |date=2013-06-14 }} retrieved 20 June 2013

In February 2013, the Swiss Minister of Defence, Ueli Maurer, stated that the Patrouille Suisse would be disbanded by early 2016 due to the withdrawal of the F-5 from service.{{cite web|url=http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/suisse/story/Maurer-annonce-la-mort-de-la-Patrouille-Suisse-24404228 |title=20 minutes - Maurer annonce la mort de la Patrouille suisse - Suisse |publisher=20min.ch |access-date=2013-06-21}} The Swiss parliament decided not to purchase 22 Gripen E replacement aircraft. In summer of 2014, the Swiss Air Force released plans to move from six F-5Es to four F/A-18Cs by the end of 2016. To facilitate these reduced operations, fewer air displays would be flown and, as a result, the aircraft were unlikely to receive special paint.{{cite web|url=http://bazonline.ch/schweiz/standard/So-will-Maurer-die-Armee-noch-schneller-verkleinern/story/28135989|title=So will Maurer die Armee noch schneller verkleinern|work=baz.ch/}}[http://www.thurgauerzeitung.ch/aktuell/wirtschaft/wirtschaft-sda/Patrouille-Suisse-bei-Gripen-Ja-mit-F-A-18;art253651,3716659 Patrouille Suisse bei Gripen-Ja mit F/A-18] Thurgauer Zeitung

Swiss Air Force and the Swiss parliament planned to extend the service of eighteen F-5E and four F-5F until 2018. This would also include the continued operation of the Patrouille Suisse flying the F-5E until 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.parlament.ch/d/suche/seiten/resultate.aspx?collection=all&query=F-5E|title=Suche - Resultate}}{{cite web|url=http://www.parlament.ch/d/suche/seiten/resultate.aspx?collection=all&query=Patrouille%20Suisse|title=Suche - Resultate}}

A unique Flight Demonstration was performed by the Patrouille Suisse on 7 September 2014 at the Air14 Air Show at Payerne Air Base as they flew a 15-plane display with the PC-7 Team.{{cite web|url=http://www.air14.ch/internet/air14/en/tools/Info_medias/info_300814_1500.html|title=HTTP Error 404|work=air14.ch|access-date=10 June 2016}}

On 9 June 2016, two of the Northrop F-5E Tiger II's collided in mid-air, while training for the Royal Netherlands Air Force Open Days airshow at Leeuwarden Air Base. One aircraft crashed in a pond near Beetgum after the pilot safely ejected, while the other was damaged, but landed safely.{{cite web|url=http://www.lc.nl/friesland/Straaljager-neergestort-bij-Bitgum-21414532.html|title=Straaljager neergestort bij Bitgum|work=lc.nl|access-date=10 June 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Swiss-Air-Force-Pilot-Ejects-After-Formation-Midair-226378-1.html|title=Swiss Air Force Pilot Ejects After Formation Midair - AVweb flash Article|work=avweb.com|access-date=10 June 2016}} Following investigation, errors by Patrouille Suisse pilots were found to be the cause of the crash, with prosecutors citing overconfidence as a factor.{{cite web|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/pilot-guilty-of-causing-swiss-air-display-crash/48155760|title=swissinfo.ch|access-date=23 June 2023}}

On 15 June 2023, two Patrouille Suisse aircraft made contact during a training flight for a performance at the Federal Yodeling Festival in Baar, Zug. The nose cone of one aircraft was severed by the collision and impacted a house, breaking windows and injuring one person on the ground. A braking parachute was also deployed by the collision which also fell to the ground. The involved aircraft were able to land with no further incidents and without injuries to the pilots.{{Cite web |last=AIRLIVE |date=2023-06-15 |title=BREAKING Two aircraft of the Patrouille Suisse made contact mid-air during training |url=https://airlive.net/military/2023/06/15/breaking-two-aircraft-of-the-patrouille-suisse-made-contact-mid-air-during-training/ |access-date=2023-06-24 |language=en-US}}

File:Patrouille Suisse at ILA 2010 07.jpg in 2010]]

The Patrouille Suisse normally operates six Northrop F-5E Tiger II aircraft out of total of twelve F-5Es that are maintained in team colours. Since 1996 ten aircraft are able to accept one of the eight smoke generators that were made by RUAG.{{cite web|url=http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/en/home/dokumentation/assets/aircraft/tig5e.html|title=Northrop F-5E Tiger II|date=2 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728194823/http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/en/home/dokumentation/assets/aircraft/tig5e.html|archive-date=28 July 2016}} When fitted with a smoke generator, including the two {{convert|40|L}} bottles of diesel, the right gun of the F-5E is disabled.Insider2014 (Patrouille Suisse Fanclub newspaper) 2014 Page 23

The teams F-5Es are also used for other purposes such as training and as target tugs flown by Target Squadron 12, facilitated by their high visibility colouring.{{cite web|url=http://www.parlament.ch/d/suche/seiten/geschaefte.aspx?gesch_id=20143575|title=14.3575 - Zukunft der Tiger-Flotte und der Patrouille Suisse nach dem Nein zum Gripen - Curia Vista - Geschäftsdatenbank - Die Bundesversammlung - Das Schweizer Parlament}}[http://www.vbs.admin.ch/internet/vbs/de/home/documentation/publication/factsheet/factsheet_v/factsheet_lw.parsys.70632.downloadList.68041.DownloadFile.tmp/faktenblattf5d.pdf Leistungsspektrum Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517200057/http://www.vbs.admin.ch/internet/vbs/de/home/documentation/publication/factsheet/factsheet_v/factsheet_lw.parsys.70632.downloadList.68041.DownloadFile.tmp/faktenblattf5d.pdf |date=2014-05-17 }}

A Pilatus PC-6 V-622 "Felix", painted in Patrouille Suisse colours, transports the commander, announcer and the team groundcrew.{{cite web|url=http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/de/home/dokumentation/assets/aircraft/turbopor/porter.html |title=Bildgalerie Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2M Turbo-Porter |publisher=Lw.admin.ch |date=2009-08-29 |access-date=2013-06-21}}{{cite web|url=http://www.patrouille-suisse-felix.ch/2712659e1614de748/index.html|title=Geschichte|work=patrouille-suisse-felix.ch|access-date=10 June 2016}}

• PC-7 Team
• Super Puma Display Team
• Parachute Reconnaissance Company 17

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/A330_and_6_Swiss_Air_Force_F5-Tiger_-_Air_14_Payerne.webm Video] of one Airbus A330 and six Northrop F-5E Tiger II aircraft at the Air14 airshow at Payerne.
• [https://www.vtg.admin.ch/de/patrouille-suisse Official website]

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Category:Swiss Air Force

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Category:Military units and formations established in 1964

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