ST. LOUIS, Oct. 18, 1996 -- The first Swiss F/A-18C has completed phase one of weapons system verification testing at Naval Air Warfare Center Patuxent River, Md. The aircraft is now at the Naval Air Warfare Center China Lake, Calif., for more tests.
During the three and one-half months of testing at Pax River, the single-seat Hornet completed 42 flights and successfully fired AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. The aircraft was also used to conduct various types of weapons loads tests.
The Swiss aircraft was flown Oct. 11 to China Lake, where it joins the first Swiss F/A-18D that McDonnell Douglas unveiled last January. They are the first two of 34 F/A-18s that Switzerland is buying from the U.S. Navy.
The first Swiss-assembled F/A-18D completed its first flight in Switzerland Oct. 3
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