Together with its Swiss industry partners, Boeing and its F/A-18 Super Hornet Block III are ready to serve armasuisse and the Swiss Air Force today, tomorrow and for decades to come. With more than 800 Super Hornets and Growlers delivered to date, the modern, combat-proven F/A-18 is the most capable solution for Switzerland.

Boeing has a more than 25-year relationship with Swiss industry and prides itself on its motto of promises made, promises kept. Air2030 is no different. Boeing is committed to satisfying the requirements of the program, working closely with armasuisse to identify opportunities to partner with Swiss industry and leverage the expertise gained on the country’s Hornet program.

Since Switzerland purchased the F/A-18 Hornet, Boeing has completed more than US$1.3B in industrial engagement commitments. Those commitments were satisfied in seven years – three years ahead of the 10-year period of performance. Currently, Boeing works with over 80 companies across all of Switzerland and is identifying the right partnership opportunities for its New Fighter Aircraft industry plan.

With its F/A-18 Super Hornet, Boeing is committed to enabling long-term sustainable growth and providing opportunities for industry to scale-up through technology transfer, enhanced global competitiveness, continued supplier development and expanded export opportunities

Together, we are able to bring the best of Swiss industry to Boeing, and the best of Boeing to Swiss industry.

With combat-proven capabilities, low documented life-cycle costs, low-risk delivery schedule and ease of transition, the Super Hornet Block III is ideally suited to meet Switzerland’s fighter aircraft requirement.

Infrastructure: Up to 60% of existing infrastructure, to include current weapon inventory, can be used to support a Super Hornet fleet which will result in cost savings with increased return on investment.

Training: Complementing the U.S. Navy and leveraging existing industry and Swiss Air Force Hornet Air Crew and Maintainer expertise, Switzerland’s selection of the Super Hornet Block III ensures a smooth transition from Hornet to Super Hornet. To emphasize, transition from Hornet to Super Hornet only requires one month for aircrew training and up to 120 hours for maintenance training, depending on the maintenance rate and area of focus.

Affordability and Life Cycle Costs: With the lowest documented operational flight hour costs among all U.S. tactical aircraft in production, combined with lower procurement costs, Super Hornet Block III fits within Switzerland’s current Hornet annual operating budget for operation, support, shelter and personnel.

Ideally Suited: The Super Hornet is ideally suited for Switzerland’s operational environment, designed to accomplish its mission in the harshest of environments. Features include shorter takeoff and landing distances, robust landing gear, brakes and tail hook, rugged two-engine design, and minimal maintenance/logistics footprint.

Boeing in Switzerland

Supply Chain Efficiencies: Boeing will deliver F/A-18s to the U.S. Navy through at least 2033, with the development of Block III capabilities on schedule to deliver early 2021. As a result, Switzerland will be able to leverage more than 450 Block III Super Hornets across the U.S., Kuwait and Australia for superior supply chain efficiencies and affordable development.

Industrial Partnership: In the past 10 years, Boeing has worked with more than 80 companies in Switzerland, including more than 40 French speaking companies. Boeing has more than three decades of experience in developing comprehensive industrial engagement plans that are designed to leverage a country’s industrial base, workforce, technological innovation and research and development expertise within Boeing’s global supply chain and across its defense and commercial platforms. Boeing’s industrial plans also include collaboration opportunities through our Hornet Industry Team (HIT) – Boeing’s Tier 1 supplier partners on producing the Super Hornet, including GE, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

Aurora

Aurora Swiss Aerospace is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aurora Flight Sciences, A Boeing Company, established in the Canton of Luzern, Switzerland in 2013. The company conducts upgrade and support projects for Aurora customers in Switzerland and throughout Europe, as well as managing a European prototype engineering team that conducts research and development for worldwide Aurora projects. Aurora Swiss Aerospace draws on over 30 years of experience that Aurora has in the development, design, manufacturing, operations and support of advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

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