ALPHA ONE

DEFENCE | SWITZERLAND

Swiss Air Force transforms highway into runway

Today sections of Switzerland’s A1 motorway, the main east-west artery connecting St Margrethen and Geneva, will be temporarily repurposed as a runway for the Swiss Air Force. Central guardrails have been removed in a French part of the country between Payerne and Avenches and eight F/A-18 Hornet jets will practise takeoffs and landings on the road. The exercise, named Alpha One, will assess the combat jets’ ability to land and take off in times of crisis or when airfields are unavailable.

This marks the first time that strips of the Swiss highway have been used for military operations since 1991. Switzerland is surrounded by friendly, democratic neighbours but the country – which will host a peace summit for Ukraine next week – is evidently keen to make a statement. With Alpha One, it is demonstrating to both its citizens and the world that its highway network is capable of serving more than just commuters, tourists and goods. The exercise will be broadcast live on television. Courtesy: The Monocle Minute & Weekend Edition.