Taxing back during Exercise "BERDEZA 2025" at Bern, a civilian airport with a limited runway length of just 1730 meters and which has never seen F-18 operation before. The exercise took place between March 31 and April 2, 2025 and consisted of 21 landings and take-off of four Swiss AF F-18C's (J-5004, J-5007, J-5016 and J-5025). Even though no adequate hangar space was available to shelter the four jets, they were kept in Bern overnight, as the aim of the exercise was to train adhoc operation away from the jets hombase. Refer to next picture for additional information.

This 1983 built a/c (test registration F-WKQA) served with Helikopter Service in Norway as LN-OLB till at least 2003. Leased to Maersk as OY-HMJ between 1996 and 1999. It became G-CIOI in March 2015, then D-HBGL in early 2016 (ntu), and finally OE-XAP with Heli-Austria in June 2016. Transferred to swiss operator Lions Air in April 2023, which started to get involved in the fire fighting business, contracting OE-XAP to South Korea. The korean text on the tailboom reads "Forest Service" and "Emergency Aircraft / Wildfire supression" on the cabin door. Seen returning from Asia via Antwerpen port.

In late 2002 and early 2003, Swiss Air Ambulance REGA introduced three new built Challengers 604 registered HB-JRA (c/n 5529), HB-JRB (c/n 5530) and HB-JRC (c/n 5540). All three were replaced by newer Challenger 650 in 2018. While HB-JRA was donated to the Transport Museum in Lucerne, the other two were sold to the Swiss AF, becoming T-751 and T-752 (pictured). Talks about the Swiss AF obtaining a real transport plane like the C-130 or the C-295 were shelved a few years ago, so the two old CL604's based in Duebendorf and part of the "Luftransportdienst des Bundes" (LTDB) soldier on instead.

Photographer: Daniel Ruhier.

Built in 1983 as G-BKZE, this airframe was till early 1993 used by British Airways Helicopters. Brintel Helicopters was next, leasing it to the UN in 1994. As from August 2000, the heli was part of CHC Scotia, before Heli Austria obtained it in June 2016, applying an overall red paint scheme. However, it already wore this green paint when it was transferred to the Lions Air Group in April 2024. Operated for "European Firecats", a joint venture of Lions Air and Heli Austria using Super Pumas in the fire fighting role. Note the modified main landing gear sponsons, reducing the EW by 135 kgs.

Cont'd from previous image. New airframe for the UK's 2nd Generation SAR (UKSAR2G) program, consisting of 18 helicopters assigned to ten permament 24/7 and two seasonal (during summer) bases around the UK. The fleet will be of three S-92's, nine AW189's and six new AW139's, of which G-RESI is the last delivered. The other five new AW139's are G-RESA, G-RESB, G-RESE, G-RESF and G-RESH. UKSAR2G is a comprehensive program aiming to transform the UK's SAR program into a modern, efficient and latest-technology-based service.

Pictured during delivery flight from Milano (MXP) via Bern to the UK. G-RESI is the last of six new AW139 ordered by Bristow after being awarded the UK's 2nd Generation SAR by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) in July 2022. The new UKSAR2G program is valued at 1.6 billion GBP for the 2024 through 2034 periode and implements lessons learned from the previous 10 year SAR contract, also held by Bristow since 2013. The transition phase from the "old" to the "new" contracted started on Sept. 30, 2024 and needs to be completed by Dec. 31, 2026. See next image for additional details.

The one and only Dauphin under Swiss military markings, it was purchased second-hand in 2005 (ex- HB-XPE), before being sold in 2010 as I-ELIF, when the VIP helicopter role was taken over by an EC 135.

As one of six C-295 operated by the Czech AF since 2010, this airframe was the 2nd delivered. The badge above the main landing identifies this aircraft to be part of the Multinational Force & Observer (MFO) mission in the Sinai. In 2009, the Czech Republic started to become partner in that peace keeping mission between Egypt and Israel, and since 2013 provides a CASA 295 to support MFO operations. The aircrafts tasks are Passengers and cargo transport (up to 60 pax or 6,000 kg), reconnaissance and verification flights, VIP and Treaty Party transport, plus CASEVAC and SAR flights.

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Between 2000 and 2005, a total of four A319 have been delivered to the Italian AF and assigned to 31° Stormo / 306° Gruppo tasked with VIP transport duties. While the 1st A319ACJ (serialled MM62173) had already been sold to the Turkish Government by April 2005 as TC-TCB, the three remaining (MM62174, MM62209 and MM62243) as of May 2025 are soldiering on from their base at Roma/Ciampino airport (LIRA). MM62243 shown here on a rare state visit to Switzerland's capital was the last of the four airframes and was delivered on July 21, 2005.

Seen on a charter flight to/from Bern. This 2009 built airframe joined Germania Flug AG in 2015 as HB-JOG and was transferred to CHAir on June 11, 2019, which operated it till May 2023. It currently serves with Romanian airline Carpatair as YR-ABB. Germania Flug AG, an independent Swiss airline founded in August 2014, declared insolvency in February 2019 and the assets were in due course bought by Albex Aviation & Enter Air. The new owners renamed the airline to CHAir but kept operating under the former "GM" (Germania) IATA Code till April 29, 2025, when the new code "CS" was assigned.

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CN-AOR seen here taking off in beautiful atumn light had just dropped moroccan civil servants for emergency response training in Switzerland. This airframe is one of two KC-130H tankers delivered to the Royal Moroccan AF in late 1981, the other one being CN-AOS (c/n 4909). Morocco had already introduced 17 standard C-130H's between May 1974 and August 1981. They were either identified with the construction numer or with registrations CNA-OA through CNA-OQ, or a mix of both. Later, the c/n's were dropped completely and all surviving C-130's (three were lost) got CN-AO.. registrations.

Photographer: Daniel Ruhier.

Exported to USA 19 July 1984 as N337A. US registration cancelled 21 May 2013 as expired.