As part of the program to purchase 22 F-5 Tiger fighters from Switzerland by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), the first aircraft arrived in the USA at the end of last March. More precisely, it arrived at the facilities of the Cecil Field Tactical Air Support Plant, located in Jacksonville, Florida, to undergo the second phase of the ARTEMIS program and subsequently join the force’s aggressor fleet to strengthen the dissimilar training capabilities of new pilots.
In 2020, the United States Marine Corps and the Swiss Federal Office for Defense Procurement formalized an agreement for the sale of 22 F-5 Tiger fighters (16 single-seat F-5Es and 6 two-seat F-5Fs). These aircraft from the Swiss Air Force had been retired from service and preserved for potential sale to foreign users. With their incorporation, the USMC sought to strengthen and increase the availability of its current aggressor fleet, grouped in the 401st Fighter Squadron (VMFT-401), known as Sniper, based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma; as well as the formation of a second squadron of this type of aircraft.
The agreements also included the refurbishment of the aircraft by the company RUAG. Among the works carried out on the Tigers, services such as MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) were highlighted for the 22 selected airframes along with their respective 44 J-85 engines.
This work carried out by the Swiss company falls within the First Phase of the Avionics Reconfiguration and Tactical Modernization Program for Inventory Standardization (ARTEMIS). According to information provided by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on April 4th, the ARTEMIS program in its first phase includes “…aircraft inspection, maintenance, replacement of structural components, and engine modification and overhaul” by the firm RUAG.
Subsequently, the aircraft arriving in the United States, in the case of the first specimen aboard a KC-130J from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 234 of the Marines, will undergo the second phase of the program, which includes: “…aircraft inspections, maintenance, and repairs continue while integrating a new glass cockpit, modern avionics, and other safety modifications.”
Regarding this first F-5 fighter that served with the Swiss Air Force and will now have a new life as an aggressor for the Marine Corps, it is expected to be delivered after undergoing the ARTEMIS Program in early 2025. NAVAIR has indicated that they anticipate completing the incorporation of a total of eleven aircraft by the year 2028, with a portion of the total 22 Tigers originally acquired presumably serving as a source of spare parts for the rest of the fleet.
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