Meiringen Air Base

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Meiringen Air Base
5949 - Meiringen viewed from the Rothorn - Meiringen Air Force Base.jpg
Meiringen air base viewed from the Rothorn
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
Serves Meiringen
Occupants Swiss Air Force
Coordinates 46°44′25″N8°6′36″E / 46.74028°N 8.11000°E / 46.74028; 8.11000
Map
Switzerland adm location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
LSMM
Location in Switzerland

Meiringen Air Base, also known as the Unterbach Military Airfield, is a Swiss military airbase located near the hamlet of Unterbach and the town of Meiringen, in the canton of Bern. It is one of three main airbases of the Swiss Air Force.

Contents

The airfield is situated in the steep-sided alpine valley of the Aar river, with its single runway parallel to the river. It is flanked to the north by the main road to Meiringen, the river, and the Brünig railway line. To the south, taxiways connect the airfield to aircraft caverns built within the valley side. [1]

History

Meiringen Air Base started operations on 1 December 1941. [2] The base played an important role in the 1946 C-53 Skytrooper crash on the Gauli Glacier: the rescue operation was launched and coordinated by the Meiringen air base. [3] The rescue of persons on a glacier with airplanes had never been done before. After World War II, an aircraft cavern was built in Meiringen. In the 1970 years the construction of another cavern tunnel was started for the A-7G Corsair II, but because the A-7G was not bought, this construction was completed as an ammunition storage cavern. [4] With the introduction of the F/A-18 Hornet the aircraft cavern was rebuilt again and received another tunnel so the aircraft can go straight in and out at the same time. In the inside maneuvering without crane is now possible. [5]

In 2004, militia Squadron 8 "Destructors", equipped with the F-5E Tiger, moved to Meiringen from Buochs Airport. In 2007, professional Fliegerstaffel 11 (Fighter Squadron 11) "Tigers", equipped with the F/A-18, moved from Dübendorf Air Base. [6] [7]

Today

The airfield of Meiringen is still important for the Swiss Air Force. With the closure of Sion Air Base in 2016, it will be one of only three fighter bases, along with Payerne Air Base and Emmen Air Base. It is the home base to two fighter squadrons, militia Squadron 8 "Destructors", equipped with the Northrop F-5E Tiger, and Berufsfliegerkorps (professional) Fliegerstaffel 11, equipped with the F/A-18 Hornet. [8] [9]

Meiringen is the only Swiss airbase that uses an aircraft cavern in daily operations. The runway is equipped with retractable arresting gear devices (used by the F/A-18 and in emergencies by the F-5) at both ends. [10]

The operation of the aerodrome has for the region and the town of Meiringen, both positive and negative effects: noise emissions by the military jets is for the affected population as well as for tourism businesses. The airfield is, however, with some 190 labor and 25 training places an important economic factor for the region. [11] [12] The airfield has a small museum that is open on Wednesday afternoons from May to October; different pieces of equipment are exhibited as well as an Aérospatiale Alouette III and an F-5 Tiger. [13]

In 2023, a private inn overlooking the air base was raided by the authorities on suspicions of harboring a Chinese intelligence operation. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swiss Air Force</span> Air component of the Swiss Armed Forces

The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914, three days after the outbreak of World War I, as a part of the army and in October 1936 as an independent service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sion Airport</span> Airport

Sion Airport is the airport of the city of Sion, Switzerland and is located 2.5 km southwest of Sion city in the Rhone Valley. The airport opened in 1935.

Aircraft cavern, a calque of the German word Flugzeugkaverne, is an underground hangar amongst others used by the Swiss Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underground hangar</span>

An underground hangar is a type of hangar for military aircraft, usually dug into the side of a mountain for protection. It is bigger and more protected than a hardened aircraft shelter (HAS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Payerne Air Base</span> Airport

Payerne Airport is a military airfield of the Swiss Air Force north of Payerne in Switzerland, located approximately halfway between Lausanne and Bern.

In the Swiss Air Force, an aircraft usually isn't deployed permanently to a given Squadron, which is especially true of the [militia] squadrons who are not permanently in service. Aircraft are used across several squadrons. Even the aircraft related to the Squadron, such as the F/A-18C J-5017 from 17 Squadron, will be used by other squadrons. Older aircraft will often be retired from front-line service to support squadrons, for example, the Hawker Hunter from a fighter-bomber to a target tug. Two full-scale Hugo Wolf F/A-18C simulators, tail numbers X-5098 and X-5099, are non-flying training simulators for ground crew and not part of any squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dübendorf Air Base</span> Military airfield in Switzerland

Dübendorf Military Airport was a military airfield of the Swiss Air Force northeast of Dübendorf in Switzerland, located east of Zürich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmen Air Base</span> Airport

Militärflugplatz Emmen is a military airfield of the Swiss Air Force north of Emmen, Switzerland, located northwest of Lucerne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buochs Airport</span> Airport

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpnach Air Base</span> Swiss air base

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 1</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 1 was a professional military pilots squadron, belonging to the Überwachungsgeschwader of the Swiss Air Force until its last service in 2003. At that point, it was equipped with Northrop F-5 and used the military airfield of Turtmann as a designated war base. Fliegerstaffel 1 carried a stylized Vogel Rokh as its coat of arms, a red background and a white figure 1 completed their emblem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 6</span> Unit of Swiss Air Force

The Fliegerstaffel 6 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and is together with the Fliegerstaffel 18 part of the Fliegergeschwader 14. The home base of the Fliegerstaffel 6 is Payerne Air Base. As coat of arms, the Fliegerstaffel 6 carried since 1940 a marching duck, with a proudly swollen breast carrying a halberd. The "Jusqu'au bout" motto means until the bitter end. Before this badge, it was first a six-pointed star with a witch on her flying broom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 8</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 8 «Vandalos» is a Swiss Air Force militia squadron, equipped with Northrop F-5E and forms Fliegergeschwader 13 with Fliegerstaffel 11. The home base of the unit is Meiringen Air Base. As coat of arms, the Fliegerstaffel 8 carries as a red sawfish, floating through the lower opening of a black number 8 on a white ground. The sawfish is called Vandalo.

Fliegerstaffel 11 (Tigers) of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron equipped with F/A-18 combat jets and, together with Fliegerstaffel 8, is part of Fliegergeschwader 13. The home base of Fliegerstaffel 11 is Meiringen Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 11 is a full member of the NATO Tiger Association and carries a coat of arms depicting a Tiger head on a black background and the wordmark Staffel 11 below the tiger head as its crest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 13</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 13 of the Swiss Air Force was equipped with Northrop F-5 flown by militia pilots when disbanded in 2000. Their home base at the dissolution was Payerne Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 13 wore a shield-shaped insignia with a blue outer edge, showing an eagle with wings spread out and open claws ready to capture its prey, against a white background, with the red number 13 in front of the upper wing. The old emblem was round with an orange background and black border. It showed the stylized side view of a black wasp looking in the direction of the viewer; over its head was the number 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 16</span> Military unit

The Fliegerstaffel 16 of the Swiss Air Force was last equipped with Northrop F-5 F aircraft. Their home base was Sion Airport. The Fliegerstaffel 16 had a shield-shaped coat of arms showing the side view of a black dragon with a red eye, red claws, and a red firebeam in front of the white digit 16 and a dark blue background. The old badge was the same, but in round design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 17</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 17 "Falcons" of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron of professional pilots flying McDonnell Douglas F/A-18. Together with Fliegerstaffel 6 it forms Fliegergeschwader 11. The home base of the squadron is Payerne Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 17 features a red falcon on a white ground with the black number 17 as its coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 18</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 18 «Panthers» of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron equipped with McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 and forms Fliegergeschwader 14 together with Fliegerstaffel 19. The home base of the Fliegerstaffel 18 is Payerne Air Base. The Fliegerstaffel 18 carries a Black Panther against a green backdrop as its coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 19</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 19 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and forms together with Fliegerstaffel 18 Fliegergeschwader 14. The home base of the fliegerstaffel 19 is Sion Airport. The "Fliegerstaffel 19" carries as a coat of arms a stylized swan on a blue background.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 24</span> Military unit

The Fliegerstaffel 24 fighter squadron 24 of the Swiss Air Force was a former standalone squadron, which is now the ECM (German:EKF) part of the Zielflugstaffel 12. It is a militia squadron and belongs to the airfield command 7. Its home base is the Militärflugplatz Emmen. The Fliegerstaffel 24 carries as coat of arms an eagle in front of a light blue background, holding a lightning bolt in the right claw, in the background is a red-orange number 24 and above the coat of arms is a red-orange area with the black writing "Fliegerstaffel".

References

  1. ↑ "Flugplatz Meiringen · 3857 Meiringen, Switzerland". Archived from the original on 2023-09-02. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
  2. ↑ "Flugplatzkommando Meiringen" [Meiringen air base command] (in German). Swiss Air Force. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2014-09-15.
  3. ↑ "Der Flugzeugabsturz auf dem Gauligletscher". Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
  4. ↑ Maurer et al. (2013), p.245
  5. ↑ "Permanenter Schutz für F/A-18". 23 October 2003. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "Fliegerstaffel 11". Archived from the original on 2016-05-09. Retrieved 2014-09-15.
  7. ↑ "Fliegerstaffel 8". Archived from the original on 2016-05-09. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  8. ↑ "Fliegerstaffel 8" [Squadron 8] (in German). Swiss Air Force. Archived from the original on 2016-05-09. Retrieved 2014-09-15.
  9. ↑ "Fliegerstaffel 11" [Squadron 11] (in German). Swiss Air Force. Archived from the original on 2016-05-09. Retrieved 2014-09-15.
  10. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2013-06-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) From page22 on
  11. ↑ "Flugplatzkommando Meiringen-Unterbach" (in German). Swiss Air Force. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2014-07-10.
  12. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2016-06-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ↑ "Meiringen Air Base". Swiss Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  14. ↑ "Kommentar zum Fall Meiringen – Die Gefahr chinesischer Spionage ist real". Berner Zeitung (in German). 2023-12-21. Archived from the original on 2023-12-23. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  15. ↑ "Meiringen: Chinesische Wirte sollen Militärflugplatz ausspioniert haben". 20 Minuten (in German). 2023-12-22. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
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