US Marines take delivery of first of 22 F-5 fighter jets sold by Switzerland
The first F-5 Tiger II fighter acquired by the US Marine Corps from Switzerland arrived at the Emmen military airfield in the United States on March 15.
The F-5 was transported aboard a Marine Corps KC-130J.
The aircraft is part of a package of 22 supersonic jets that were decommissioned by the Swiss Air Force. There are 16 F-5E (single-seat) and six F-5F (two-seat) that will be used as target tugs for training.
has 25 F-5 fighters, 18 of which are still in service and complement the F/A-18s in the European country’s air defense. Some of them are also used by the Patrouille Suisse, an aerial demonstration squadron.
End of service in 2027
Switzerland aims to retire its last F-5 Tigers in 2027, shortly before the first F-35A Lightning II is delivered the following year.
As the Air Force will keep F/A-18s active for some time, decommissioning the F-5 is the natural next step for aircraft that were added in the 1970s and 1980s.
The end of the F-5 operation should lead Patrouille Suisse to fly with PC-7 turboprops, which already make up the PC-7 TEAM.
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