SWISS REQUIRES F-18 FLEET UPGRADE

A proposed U.S. Foreign Military Sales deal to upgrade Swiss Hornets has been approved by the U.S. State Department.

Swiss F-18 Hornet upgrade
Swiss F-18 performs in Sion (Photo: Breitling Sion Airshow)

According to DSCA media release the Government of Switzerland has requested, through the Foreign Military Sale program, a Service Life Extension Program for its F/A-18C/D aircraft.  It includes up to fifty (50) Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) with Concurrent Multi-Net 4 (CMN-4) capability; fifty (50) ARC-210 GEN 5 RT-1900A(C) radios w/Second Generation Anti-Jam Tactical UHF Radio for NATO (SATURN) frequency hopping; twenty (20) Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) Night Vision Cueing Display (NVCD); CIT Automated Dependence Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out; software enhancements to the APG-73 radar; improvements to the F/A-18 Software Configuration Set (SCS) 29C; and sustainment for the ALQ-165 Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ) system. 

Operational support for these modifications will be provided through upgrades to the unique Mission Data System included in Swiss fighters. Also included are: system integration and testing; software development and integration; support equipment; spare and repair parts; maintenance personnel and pilot familiarization training; software support; publications and technical documents; U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance; and other related elements of logistics and program support.

The estimated total case value is $115 million. 

This upgrade is crucial to allowing the Hornets to continue the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) service to defend Switzerland's airspace until the enter service of a new fighter jet.

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