Published on 8 September 2026

Airworthiness

Certification of Military Aeronautical Systems - Approval of Technical Organisations - Approval of Maintenance Training Organisations - Issue of Military Aircraft Maintenance Licences - Approval of Flight Test and Maintenance Check Flight Organisations - Development of the Airworthiness Regulation - Recognition of external authorities

© VBS/DDPS

Airworthiness is defined as the ability of a military aeronautical system to perform its intended operation in conformance with its approved type design and limitations without any unacceptable risks. The term airworthiness relates not only to flight safety requirements, which are derived from the applicable aeronautical safety standards relating to product design, manufacture, maintenance and materiel support, but also to function and performance requirements necessary for the intended operation.

The MAA Airworthiness Authority ensures oversight of initial, continued and continuing airworthiness of military aviation systems. This involves certifying military aviation systems and issuing airworthiness certificates and flight permits, approving Design, Production, Maintenance, Continuing Airworthiness Management and Maintenance Training Organisations as well as Flight Test and Maintenance Check Flight Organisations.

The MAA Airworthiness Authority monitors technological and regulatory developments at national and international levels, notably by participating in relevant NATO and European Defense Agency activities, thereby promoting interoperability and contributing to the development of national regulations. It issues acceptable means of compliance and guidance material, as well as specific airworthiness standards in form of technical notes.

To make effective use of limited resources, it relies as much as possible on the activities of other authorities, by assessing and recognizing their expertise.

• Documentation

  Conversion of legacy military aircraft Release To Service (RTS) privileges to CHEMAR

• Switzerland takes over vice-chairmanship of NATO's team of experts on drone anti-collision systems

  Within the group responsible for UAVs within NATO, Xavier Comby, head of the certification office of the Swiss Military Aviation Authority (MAA), was elected vice-chairman of the team of experts for «Sense and Avoid» systems in September 2023. His technical skills and current experience in certifying the ADS 15 UAV and its anti-collision system were decisive factors in this choice. In this field, the Swiss MAA has built up unique expertise that is recognised internationally, particularly within NATO.

  

  ADS 15 equipped with a prototype system « Sense and Avoid » — © VBS/DDPS

  The ADS 15 is an Air Force (AF) reconnaissance drone currently being acquired. Air Force operations require the UAV to be capable of flying autonomously throughout the airspace, which would be a world first. To achieve this, it must be equipped with a «Sense and Avoid» system (abbreviated to SAA). Without this system, drones are not allowed to fly in uncontrolled airspace without accompanying aircraft, the observer on board the aircraft being responsible for detecting traffic with conflicting trajectories with the drone and alerting the drone operator.

  Sense and Avoid" systems enable drones to be safely integrated into the airspace. These systems detect traffic in the vicinity of the drone, whether cooperative (equipped with transponders) or not, predict their trajectories and, in the event of a risk of collision, determine the best avoidance trajectory, which can be commanded by the operator or automatically by the drone itself in certain cases.

  The Swiss MAA certification office is intensively involved in the certification of the ADS 15 SAA system. It has also been working for many years with other national military authorities to develop a technical standard for the certification of such systems. Thanks to the experience currently gained on the ADS 15 programme, it has taken a leading role in the development of the AEP107/STANAG 4811 standard, which is currently being ratified by NATO members. The MAA certification office is making valuable contributions in the areas of sensor performance requirements, traffic characterisation and airspace modelling. The AEP107/STANAG 4811 standard also guarantees interoperability between the various UAV UAS systems. This is a prerequisite for joint operations between countries. NATO is also coordinating its efforts with the International Civil Aviation Organisation to ensure that civil and military standards are compatible.

  At the beginning of March, the experts met in Brussels for their biannual meeting, the first time under the vice-presidency of the Swiss MAA. The programme included a presentation of the SAA systems of member and partner countries. The manufacturers RUAG and Elbit Systems were given the opportunity to present the ADS15 SAA system.

  The choice of a Swiss MAA representative to vice-chair a team of NATO experts on a technology as important as UAV technology is recognition of the Swiss MAA's technical expertise in this field and its pioneering role in the certification and authorisation of UAV operations. Switzerland's contribution in this area is greatly appreciated by NATO member and partner countries. Other collaborations, notably with the European Defence Agency on mini-UAVs, are also underway.