Axalp Air Power Demonstration 2023 – Swiss Air Force Live-Fire Training (Ebenfluh)

From October 16 to 18, 2023, the Swiss Air Force once again held its annual Axalp Air Power Demonstration in the stunning alpine setting above Meiringen Air Base. This unique event gives spectators the rare opportunity to witness live-fire exercises with fighter jets and helicopters in a real mountainous training environment.

In this exclusive photo gallery, you’ll find high-quality images of the F/A-18 Hornet, PC-21, and Cougar helicopters in action. Highlights include flare drops, low-level passes, formation flying, and gun runs over the Ebenfluh firing range.

➤ Scroll down to relive the highlights of Axalp 2023 and explore the power and precision of Swiss military aviation.

The aviation live fire demonstration Axalp (known as Fliegerschiessen or "aviator shooting") is an air show of the Swiss Air Force on the shooting range Axalp-Ebenfluh (also called Äbeflue). There is a designated spectator area at the summit of Tschingel (46.7066°N 8.0476°E, 2240 m), about 1 km west of the target area. Initially a wartime exercise arena, in use during 1942–1945, Axalp-Ebenfluh was retained as an air force training ground after 1945. The first shooting exercise with jet engine planes, de Havilland Vampire, was held in 1949. Exercises were not public, and observation was by invitation. British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Tedder were present at the exercise of February 1950. The exercises are usually held annually over two days on the beginning of October. Fighter planes no longer do bombing runs with exercise bombs, as was the original main purpose of the wartime exercise range. The event was extended into a public air show in the 1990s, in addition to the live fire exercises also including aerobatic displays, including performances by Patrouille Suisse. The "live fire" involves the use of aircraft cannons on ground targets mounted on the rock face. Depending on weather conditions, there are also exercises involving army helicopters, parachutists or landing troops. The event was cancelled in 2001 due to an accident with an air force Alouette III a few days before the scheduled date. The number of spectators was estimated at 6,500 in 2005, 9,000 in 2006 and 2009, and at 11,000 in 2012 The event was cancelled due to bad weather conditions in 2013 and 2015, and not scheduled in 2014 due to the Air14 show in Payerne. It was again cancelled in 2016 due to several accidents suffered by the Swiss Air Force. It was again held in 2017, 2018, 2019, (2020 cancelled due Corona) 2021 and 2022. There will be no flight demonstrations by the Swiss Air Force in 2024 and 2025. ### 2023 THE LAST FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION AXALP??? The Armed Forces are cancelling the major events "AirSpirit 24" and "DEFENSE 25" Due to the tight financial situation, the Armed Forces are cancelling the major events planned for 2024 and 2025 as well as other events. At the end of August this year, the air force was to present itself at "AirSpirit 24" at Emmen military airfield, and in 2025 the ground forces at the "DEFENSE 25" event. Public events are extremely important for the armed forces in order to build trust and reputation. As it currently trains for its missions mainly at military bases and therefore generally far away from the population, the visibility of the troops is limited. Due to the tight financial situation, the army is now cancelling a significant proportion of the planned public events. The cancellation in 2024 affects, among other things, the "AirSpirit 24" event, which was to offer interested members of the public the opportunity to gain an impression of the air force's capabilities in Emmen at the end of August. Up to 80,000 visitors were expected to attend. In 2025, an event called "DEFENSE 25" was planned in Bière, where the ground forces would have presented themselves. In addition, the Armed Forces will also refrain from organising a number of other originally planned events in the next two years. Source: Swiss Air Force

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