The first of 22 repatriated Swiss F-5 Tiger II aircraft arrived at the Tactical Air Support facility at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida, on 21 March 20224 for the second phase of the Avionics Reconfiguration and Tactical/Modernization for Inventory Standardization (ARTEMIS) programme, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) reported on 4 April.
Arrival of the aircraft, which was ferried by a US Marine Corps (USMC) C-130J transport aircraft from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 234, marks a milestone that is the culmination of several months of engineering and maintenance efforts performed by the Tactical Air Support team in close co-ordination with US Navy (USN) and USMC stakeholders.
The ARTEMIS programme is designed to meet the requirements of the USN and USMC for adversary aircraft to employ in air combat training.
“Expansion of the F-5 programme ensures future success in training navy and marine corps aviators,” Captain Greg Sutton, Specialized and Proven Aircraft Program Office (PMA-226) programme manager, was quoted as saying in a NAVAIR press release.
The USN and the Swiss government entered into an agreement to repatriate 22 Swiss Air Force F-5E/F aircraft for the USN/USMC adversary fleets. As part of the ARTEMIS programme the Tactical Air Support subcontractor, Swiss aerospace firm RUAG, performs the programme’s first phase, with aircraft inspection, maintenance, structural component replacement, and engine modification and overhaul.
Upon completion of this phase the aircraft are transferred to Tactical Air Support’s facility to begin Phase 2, during which aircraft inspections, maintenance and repair continue and a new glass cockpit, modern avionics and other safety modifications are integrated. The 22 Ex-Swiss F-5s will ultimately be brought up to the F-5N+/F+ baseline configuration under this work.
Initial deliveries of the 22 aircraft are planned to be completed by mid-2025, with programme completion in 2028.
The programme will deliver 11 aircraft each to the existing USN and USMC adversary fleet inventories.
