Alpnach Air Base
Alpnach Air Base is the Swiss Armed Forces and Swiss Air Forces' center of expertise for air transport. The services provided at Alpnach are supplemented by the Air Force's partner, RUAG Aviation Helicopter Center.
Fixed-wing aircraft, with the exception of jet fighters, also operate from Alpnach Air Base.
At Alpnach, the air and ground crews of Alpnach/Dübendorf Air Base Command provide support for the following tasks carried out by Cougar, Super Puma and EC635 helicopters:
- Missions in Switzerland and abroad
- Training of professional and conscript units
- Pilot school basic training
- Further and advanced training (re-training and upgrading courses, night and load flights, etc.)
- Operation and preparation of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft 24/7
- Maintenance, repair and trouble-shooting
- Contacts of expertise (helicopters, small UAVs, mobile field hangars, mobile air transport deployment command posts)
- Guaranteeing the readiness of the stand-by service (SAR readiness: team and aircraft ready for operation at air base within 1 hour, regular readiness: team and aircraft ready for operation at air base within 8 hours from alert)
Alternating with Dübendorf and Payerne military air bases, regular search and rescue flights are carried out round the clock 365 days a year, which requires that our specialists and partners can be rapidly called up and deployed at all times.
Alpnach Air Base Command is supported by the Armed Forces Logistics Organisation (AFLO) and by the Armed Forces Command Support Organisation (AFCSO). Skyguide is in charge of air traffic control.
Alpnach is home base to Air Transport Command 2 / Air Transport Wing 2 with AT Squadron 6 and AT Squadron 8.
