EXERCISE
AIR to AIR DAMMASTOCK
MEIRINGEN AFB
SWISS
Tuesday 4th, February 2025
Air-to-air shooting training at the Dammastock / Sustenhorn shooting range is one of the most complex and spectacular training activities of the Swiss Air Force. This high-altitude area, located in the central Alps, is specifically dedicated to firing on-board guns against air targets. Fighter aircraft (mainly F/A-18 Hornets) use their onboard guns to hit moving targets in flight. Training takes place in an impervious mountain environment, which requires extreme precision and maneuvering skills at high speeds. The exercise aims to perfect pilots' skills in close combat and interception of air threats.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II Switzerland - Air Force
Two F-5E Tiger IIs in the role of "tractors" (or target tugs) with the crucial task of towing the target bag for the training of F/A-18 Hornet pilots. Switzerland uses a pool of four F-5Es specially modified for this task. Often these are aircraft that maintain the red and white livery of the Patrouille Suisse to ensure high visibility, which is essential during these maneuvers.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II Switzerland - Air Force
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet Switzerland - Air Force
The target is a bag of fabric or synthetic material towed several hundred meters away from the F-5E via a steel cable. This safety distance prevents shells fired from training aircraft from accidentally hitting the "tractor". In these examples, the standard optical sight is replaced by a winch control panel located in the cockpit, which allows the pilot to manage the target cable. The bag can be equipped with acoustic sensors that detect the shock wave of 20mm bullets passing in the immediate vicinity, allowing the "centers" to be recorded in real time without having to physically retrieve the bag. Hornet pilots must frame the moving target and hit it with the on-board cannon, simulating a dogfight at high altitude.
Pilatus PC-7 Switzerland - Air Force
Unlike the famous Axalp shooting demonstration (which takes place in October focusing mainly on ground targets), the training at Dammastock is purely oriented towards air-to-air combat. In 2025, the Swiss Air Force also intensified international cooperation, participating in joint exercises such as the Swiss-Italy Flight Exercise.
GALLERY Air to Air Dammastock
