Air force missions

Airspace protection

Airspace protection includes maintaining air sovereignty, air defence and countering ballistic missile attacks.

• To maintain air sovereignty, the Swiss Air Force carries out "passive" (airspace monitoring operations and daily "active" air policing missions (interventions) (link). 
• Air defence comprises defensive and offensive operations. 
• Protection from ballistic missile attacks comprises defensive counter measures.

Aerial transport

Aerial transport missions are used to airlift persons, troops, material and weapons irrespective of obstacles and topographical conditions. They also include search and rescue (SAR) operations, and evacuation and repatriation flights.

The air force's Federal Air Transport Service carries members of the Swiss government and other senior officials in the federal administration. In addition, it transports Swiss military personnel and equipment to locations abroad and carries out survey flights for swisstopo, the Swiss Federal Office of Topography.

Air-based intelligence gathering

Air-based platforms and sensors provide intelligence gathering services all year round to authorities such as the Border Guard or the police. These services include surveillance, reconnaissance, target detection and tracking, and survey flights for mapping. If required, air-based platforms and sensors are used for the operational command of ground forces or in the search for missing persons.

UAVs (www.armee.ch/drohne), helicopters (www.armee.ch/fdflir) and fixed-wing aircrafts are equipped with sensors and can provide air reconnaissance services in all situations by day and night. The air force also manages a technical service tasked with creating, analysing and archiving aerial images.