Swiss Air Force F/A-18

Working at Belgian Defense means that you have a lot of contacts with foreign colleagues. These international partnerships are an enormous enrichment for all military personnel. Members of our international partners will be happy to meet you during the Belgian Air Force Days 2023 in Kleine-Brogel.

The first participant of a partner nation that we would like to introduce to you is the Swiss F/A-18 Hornet. This extremely maneuverable fighter is used by the Swiss Air Force for air defense. It entered service during the 90s but thanks to constant updates it is still an extremely effective fighter. Military aviation is constantly evolving, making it an interesting challenge for pilots and technicians to stay familiar with the latest technologies. For example, the Swiss F/A-18s have already undergone various improvements to the avionics. During the demonstration, however, another change will be very noticeable: thanks to the latest fly-by-wire flight controls, Swiss F/A-18s are phenomenally maneuverable and can spin like a leaf at enormous angles of attack without the pilot losing control.

The demonstration pilot of the Swiss F/A-18 is the highly experienced captain Yannick 'Fönzi' Zanata from Geneva, part of the 17th squadron based at Payerne. Do you want to see him and other pilots giving it their all? Then be sure to come to the Belgian Air Force Days on 9 & 10 September in Kleine-Brogel. Join the new generation!