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Air2030: Radar sensors of the Air Force: Fourth system in operation after modernisation

Swiss Government

Bern, 24.03.2025 -- The radar sensors of the air surveillance and central dispatching system of the Swiss Air Force have been modernised. On 20 March 2025, armasuisse handed over the fourth and last completely rebuilt system of the Armed Forces for operational deployment. The conversion, which is being carried out as part of the "Radar" project, took place step by step at each location. The modernisation of the radar sensors was approved in the 2016 armament programme.

Switzerland operates four radar stations for permanent air surveillance. For this purpose, it deploys the Florako system, the air surveillance and central dispatching system of the Air Force. Florako is used to detect and identify civil and military flying objects and to conduct the operations of the Air Force. The associated radar sensors (called Flores) are part of the Florako system and had to be modernised to ensure functionality over the coming years.

In order to guarantee the daily operations of the Air Force continuously, the conversion of the radar stations was carried out step and by step and coordinated at each location. Intervention in the system is complex and requires comprehensive detailed planning - particularly because the conversion work sometimes had to be managed under difficult conditions at up to 3000 metres above sea level.

After the acceptance and operational tests had been successfully carried out, the Air Force released the fourth converted radar location, together with armasuisse, for operational use on 20 March 2025. The system was returned to the Armed Forces for use and to the Armed Forces Cyber Command for operation. The project thus reached a further important milestone. In the next phase, sub-projects such as the replacement of control and display units as well as open items and guarantee work will be completed. Project completion is planned after all warranty periods have expired in November 2026.

Relationship to the "Air2030" programme

The programme "Air2030" does not only include the projects "New Fighter Aircraft" (NFA) and "Longer-range ground-based air defence system" (GBAD LR), but also the projects "Radar" and "RLE@NDP" (C2Air). These last two projects concern the gradual replacement and modernisation of the Florako components. They will be carried out first and will be submitted to Parliament in separate armaments programmes.