MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –
Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in French
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport
Bern, 25.09.2024 – The DDPS and the municipalities around the Payerne Air Base have been in discussions for some time about the economic development of the airfield and the noise pollution that will be caused by the new F-35A fighter jet. An agreement was reached on the reference values for the further procedure during a meeting attended by the President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd, the municipalities concerned, the Regional Community of Broye (COREB) and the Association for the Protection of the Interests of the Municipalities Bordering the Airfield (ASIC). The calculations of the exposure to noise pollution take into account 4,200 take-offs and landings, and no training flights with F-35As will take place on Monday morning and Friday afternoon. The DDPS is setting up two working groups: one with a view to creating a training centre for aeronautical maintenance professions and the other to identify possibilities for developing and establishing jobs in the region. By withdrawing their preventive opposition, the municipalities are allowing the construction of the F-35A training centre for pilots and ground staff, which should offer around forty additional jobs in Payerne.
In February 2022, the DDPS informed the municipalities around the Payerne Air Base of the results of the noise measurements carried out during the evaluation of the new combat aircraft and presented them with the calculations in December 2023. It then launched a coordination process to prepare the adaptation of the military sector plan. In this context, the stakeholders are discussing, among other things, the noise calculations and the air base regulations. For the calculations, the stakeholders agreed on a basis of 4,200 take-offs and landings. This represents around half of the current air movements and corresponds to the forecasts for the actual flight service contained in the summary report on noise measurements of February 2022. Annual fluctuations in actual air movements are not to be taken into account. By reducing the number of air movements, the Air Force will concentrate the flight service of the combat aircraft over time. No regular training with F-35As will take place on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. The noise pollution register and regulations will be drawn up on the basis of these values and harmonised with the municipalities. In this regard, the DDPS will continue to examine and implement noise pollution reduction measures where possible.
For the region, it is important that the continued development of Payerne as the main air base of the Air Force generates economic benefits for the region. This is why several discussions have taken place with a view to the establishment of jobs and the economic development of the aerodrome.
Exchange of the President of the Confederation with the municipalities and the COREB
At the beginning of September, Viola Amherd, head of the DDPS and president of the Confederation, met with representatives of the municipalities, the Regional Community of Broye (COREB) and the Association for the Protection of the Interests of the Broye Municipalities Affected by the Payerne Military Airfield (ASIC). In this context, the DDPS and the region agreed on two principles.
Payerne, as a major military airfield with increasing civilian use, is to host a training centre for aircraft maintenance professions. This intention is to be implemented by a working group led by the DDPS and the Regional Community of Broye (COREB). This group is to bring together the relevant departments of the Confederation, the cantons of Fribourg and Vaud, RUAG and swiss aeropole. It will be set up in the coming weeks and will specify the procedure to follow. A second working group is to identify possibilities for developing and establishing jobs on the Payerne site. This group will be led by the DDPS and will be set up by the end of 2024. It is to involve in particular armasuisse, the Air Force, the cantons of Fribourg and Vaud, COREB, swiss aeropole and EPFL.
New training centre with 40 additional jobs
In autumn 2023, the DDPS put the building permit application for an F-35A training centre with a flight simulator and training facility for ground personnel under investigation. The Regional Community of Broye (COREB), the Association for the Protection of the Interests of Broye Municipalities Affected by the Payerne Military Airfield (ASIC) and 14 municipalities had filed preventive oppositions.
Following the agreement reached, the municipalities withdrew their objections or confirmed their intention to do so. They allow the start of preparatory work for the construction of the training centre, after the formal approval of the building permit application in October. The buildings should be operational from mid-2028.
Around forty jobs will be created for the training centre, which will allow pilots to carry out their training flights on simulators and ground personnel from all Air Forces to carry out their basic training.
Construction measures for the F-35A
A large part of the real estate infrastructure of the Payerne, Meiringen and Emmen air bases can be reused for the deployment of the F-35A, as its dimensions are similar to those of the F/A-18. Adaptations are necessary in terms of training infrastructure, technical facilities and security arrangements. For the construction measures, Parliament approved a commitment credit of CHF 120 million as part of the 2022 Armed Forces Message.
The concepts and planning for the adaptation of the infrastructure to the F-35A have been prepared and verified in detail over the past twelve months in collaboration with the U.S. government’s F-35 project office, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, and manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Pratt.
The construction phase at the Payerne airbase will begin in October. For Meiringen and Emmen, the submission of building permit applications is planned for the end of 2024. Work will begin from 2025.
Address for sending questions
Communication DDPS 41 58 464 50 58kommunikation@gs-vbs.admin.ch
Olivier Piccard, president of COREB 41 26 557 37 37olivier.piccard@vd.ch
Author
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sporthttp://www.vbs.admin.ch
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.