Swiss jets not scrambled over hijacked Ethiopian plane because 'airbases closed at night'

[mota bhai 2,675]

An incident with a highjacked Ethiopian passenger jet has exposed the Swiss Air Force’s inability to deal with threats in ‘off-duty’ hours. An emergency escort to the aircraft in distress was carried out by vigilant colleagues from Italy and France.

Early on Monday morning, an Ethiopian Airlines co-pilot told ground control he had highjacked flight ET-702 from Addis Ababa to Rome and was going to land in Geneva. The Swiss Air Force was caught off guard and missed a rare opportunity to go on a real mission. It turned out that they were unable to scramble any jets because they only work during office hours!

“Switzerland cannot intervene because its airbases are closed at night and on the weekend,” Swiss Air Force spokesman, Laurent Savary, commented to AFP later on, adding that it is “a question of budget and staffing.”

According to Laurent Savary, the Swiss Air Force operates during office hours only, specifically from 8am until a lunch break at noon. A return to cockpits happens at 1:30 pm and they watch over Switzerland’s skies until 5pm.

When the Boeing 767-300 with 202 passengers, highjacked by 31-year-old co-pilot Hailemedehin Abera Tagegn got to Europe, it was still too early for the Swiss pilots to gear up for the urgent mission.

So the job was done by Italian and French military pilots. Italian Air Force Colonel, Girolamo Ladiciccio, said, the order to intercept the Boeing from the Ethiopian capital came from NATO command. Two Italian, and later a couple of French fighters ensured the Ethiopian aircraft did not stray from its route and harm national security.

http://rt.com/news/swiss-fighters-office-hours-514/

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

So the job was done by Italian and French military pilots. Italian Air Force Colonel, Girolamo Ladiciccio, said, the order to intercept the Boeing from the Ethiopian capital came from NATO command. Two Italian, and later a couple of French fighters ensured the Ethiopian aircraft did not stray from its route and harm national security.

http://rt.com/news/swiss-fighters-office-hours-514/

That's odd; weren't the fighters alerted because the airplane DID stray from its route? What were they going to do if it turned yet again, shoot it (and all the innocents inside) down?

[luckytxn 2,265]

Not sure why they need a military at all for anyway.

[slim 1,533]

I wish our nation was powerful enough to only have an office hours air force.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Just wait. With the current budget cuts and draw-down going on, you may get your wish soon.

[slim 1,533]

Good. About time we roped in our world occupying military.

[Pooky 3,840]

Just wait until the fatigue life of the USAF's fast jet fleet starts making inroads into their serviceability. There aren't enough F-22 Raptors to cover the country and the F-35 Thunderpig isn't going to become operational in sufficient numbers in time to make up the shortfall.

The budgetary pressure is already on the F-35, procurement is being slowed considerably and it's nowhere near combat-ready. The DoD is building in a problem that the USAF doesn't know how to deal with.

The Swiss, on the other hand, are not in the business of power projection, so they maintain only a small air arm. Besides, what would any invader be after? Chocolate? Watches? Good skiing?

[luckytxn 2,265]

That is just it. I can't figure out why they need a military at all either.

Just wait until the fatigue life of the USAF's fast jet fleet starts making inroads into their serviceability. There aren't enough F-22 Raptors to cover the country and the F-35 Thunderpig isn't going to become operational in sufficient numbers in time to make up the shortfall.

The budgetary pressure is already on the F-35, procurement is being slowed considerably and it's nowhere near combat-ready. The DoD is building in a problem that the USAF doesn't know how to deal with.

The Swiss, on the other hand, are not in the business of power projection, so they maintain only a small air arm. Besides, what would any invader be after? Chocolate? Watches? Good skiing?

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

The Swiss, on the other hand, are not in the business of power projection, so they maintain only a small air arm. Besides, what would any invader be after? Chocolate? Watches? Good skiing?

Heck yeah!!