In Switzerland, the Alpha Uno air maneuvers took place, during which the Air Force practiced take-off and landing on the A1 Autobahn in the canton of Vaud. About it UNN writes with reference to BILD and Swissinfo.
Details
The maneuver with the take-off and landing of four fighters on the motorway was practiced on a section of road near Lake Neuchatel between the cities of Avanche and Payerne in the canton of Vaud. The road was completely blocked, and the separation barrier was dismantled. Even the birds were scared off with cannon shots before starting training.
According to the deputy commander of the Swiss Air Force Christian Oppliger, the pilots of the F/A-18 aircraft made a perfect landing at a speed of about 260 kilometers per hour.
The last such exercise of the Swiss Air Force was held in 1991 in the canton of Ticino. At the same time, until the end of the Cold War, such training sessions were regular and held every few years.
And the exercises were suspended at some point, because it was believed that with the end of the Cold War and with the change in threat scenarios, the tasks of the Armed Forces also changed. But now the security situation in the world has changed for the worse and such training has once again become a necessity
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Switzerland traditionally adheres to neutrality in relation to military conflicts - it does not participate in military operations and does not supply weapons to the warring parties. The same applies to the war in Ukraine. However, the Swiss Army is preparing to defend itself in the event of an attack.
According to the Swiss Ministry of Defense, currently the country's Air Force has only three airfields capable of receiving jet aircraft: in the regions of Payerne (canton of Vaud), Emmen (canton of Lucerne) and Meiringen (canton of Bern). The concentration of three important airfields in a relatively small area makes them vulnerable to attacks by a potential enemy. The purpose of the exercise was to test the readiness of pilots, military and civil administrations, and use other options, such as take-off and landing from highways. One of the reasons for the resumption of such maneuvers is the sharp deterioration of the security situation in Europe - the Armed Forces intend to strengthen and develop their combat readiness.