The F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft of the Swiss Air Force completed the first phase of a service life extension programme in late 2021, Armasuisse announced on 14 February. (US Air Force)

The Swiss Air Force's Boeing F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft fleet has completed the first phase of the service life extension programme (SLEP) that will keep it in service through 2030.

On 14 February the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) announced that by the end of 2021, the 30 F/A-18C/Ds in service with the Swiss Air Force had received upgraded communication, navigation, and identification systems that will enable the aircraft to meet the requirements for interoperability up to their decommissioning date.

The SLEP was first approved by the Swiss parliament in 2017 for a total of CHF450 million (USD490 million) to keep the fleet, which entered service in 1997, operational until 2030 when it will be fully replaced by 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

The F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft of the Swiss Air Force completed the first phase of a service life extension programme in late 2021, Armasuisse announced on 14 February. (US Air Force)

The Swiss Air Force's Boeing F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft fleet has completed the first phase of the service life extension programme (SLEP) that will keep it in service through 2030.

On 14 February the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) announced that by the end of 2021, the 30 F/A-18C/Ds in service with the Swiss Air Force had received upgraded communication, navigation, and identification systems that will enable the aircraft to meet the requirements for interoperability up to their decommissioning date.

The SLEP was first approved by the Swiss parliament in 2017 for a total of CHF450 million (USD490 million) to keep the fleet, which entered service in 1997, operational until 2030 when it will be fully replaced by 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

The F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft of the Swiss Air Force completed the first phase of a service life extension programme in late 2021, Armasuisse announced on 14 February. (US Air Force)

The Swiss Air Force's Boeing F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft fleet has completed the first phase of the service life extension programme (SLEP) that will keep it in service through 2030.

On 14 February the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) announced that by the end of 2021, the 30 F/A-18C/Ds in service with the Swiss Air Force had received upgraded communication, navigation, and identification systems that will enable the aircraft to meet the requirements for interoperability up to their decommissioning date.

The SLEP was first approved by the Swiss parliament in 2017 for a total of CHF450 million (USD490 million) to keep the fleet, which entered service in 1997, operational until 2030 when it will be fully replaced by 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

The F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft of the Swiss Air Force completed the first phase of a service life extension programme in late 2021, Armasuisse announced on 14 February. (US Air Force)

The Swiss Air Force's Boeing F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft fleet has completed the first phase of the service life extension programme (SLEP) that will keep it in service through 2030.

On 14 February the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) announced that by the end of 2021, the 30 F/A-18C/Ds in service with the Swiss Air Force had received upgraded communication, navigation, and identification systems that will enable the aircraft to meet the requirements for interoperability up to their decommissioning date.

The SLEP was first approved by the Swiss parliament in 2017 for a total of CHF450 million (USD490 million) to keep the fleet, which entered service in 1997, operational until 2030 when it will be fully replaced by 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

The F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft of the Swiss Air Force completed the first phase of a service life extension programme in late 2021, Armasuisse announced on 14 February. (US Air Force)

The Swiss Air Force's Boeing F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft fleet has completed the first phase of the service life extension programme (SLEP) that will keep it in service through 2030.

On 14 February the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) announced that by the end of 2021, the 30 F/A-18C/Ds in service with the Swiss Air Force had received upgraded communication, navigation, and identification systems that will enable the aircraft to meet the requirements for interoperability up to their decommissioning date.

The SLEP was first approved by the Swiss parliament in 2017 for a total of CHF450 million (USD490 million) to keep the fleet, which entered service in 1997, operational until 2030 when it will be fully replaced by 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft.

The F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft of the Swiss Air Force completed the first phase of a service life extension programme in late 2021, Armasuisse announced on 14 February. (US Air Force)

The Swiss Air Force's Boeing F/A-18C/D fighter aircraft fleet has completed the first phase of the service life extension programme (SLEP) that will keep it in service through 2030.

On 14 February the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) announced that by the end of 2021, the 30 F/A-18C/Ds in service with the Swiss Air Force had received upgraded communication, navigation, and identification systems that will enable the aircraft to meet the requirements for interoperability up to their decommissioning date.

The SLEP was first approved by the Swiss parliament in 2017 for a total of CHF450 million (USD490 million) to keep the fleet, which entered service in 1997, operational until 2030 when it will be fully replaced by 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II aircraft.