The U.S. Navy has awarded an F-5 modernization contract to the US-based company, Tactical Air Support (Tactical Air). RUAG will take on maintenance work on 22 F-5 aircraft and their engines, as a subcontractor. The project is a comprehensive modification program and includes, among other things, a cockpit and radar upgrade developed by Tactical Air Support. The contract also includes various maintenance work on F-5 aircraft and their engines. For this purpose, the US Navy awarded a corresponding contract to Tactical Air in early July. As a subcontractor for Tactical Air, RUAG will be responsible for specific MRO services on 22 F-5 airframes as well as for the overhaul of 44 J-85 engines. The US Navy acquired the aircraft from the Swiss Air Force just over two years ago.
“RUAG has built the relationship with Tactical Air Support through continuous exchange over recent years. I am very pleased that the efforts and perseverance have paid off. With this contract, we are laying the foundation for a mutually profitable partnership that can be further expanded,” says Philippe Erni, Vice President Marketing & Sales.
“This contract marks an important milestone for RUAG: it gives us the ability to preserve our unique competence with regard to the F-5, which is vital to our core business, thus allowing us to make our contribution to sovereign security for Switzerland. It also strengthens our position on the international market,” emphasized Thomas Kipfer, Senior Vice President of the Air Business Area.
Tactical Air is a civilian company that provides “red air” aircraft for tactical aviation training and technical advisory services to its customers, which include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. Tactical Air intends to serve international customers as well. Tactical Air Support, Inc. (Tactical Air) is an American defense contractor headquartered in Reno, Nevada at Reno-Stead Airport. Almost all of its employees are former fighter weapons school and operational commanders, instructors, and/or test pilots that specialize in advanced tactical air support. Tactical Air provides consulting and commercial air services to U.S. and allied forces in a manner similar to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) and the USAF Weapons School. TacAir Global, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tactical Air Support, Inc., focuses on international training.
RUAG Holding (originally Rüstungs Unternehmen Aktiengesellschaft; Joint Stock Defence Company) is a Swiss company specialising in aerospace engineering and the defence industry. Its headquarters are located in Bern, while it also has numerous production sites in Switzerland (Nyon, Aigle, Thun, Bern, Emmen, Altdorf, Zürich and Interlaken), Germany (Oberpfaffenhofen, Hamburg Wedel and Fürth), Sweden (Gothenburg, Linköping and Åmotfors), Hungary (Sirok, Eger), Austria (Vienna, Berndorf) and United States (Tampa and Titusville), and sales companies in Australia, UK, France, Belgium, Brazil and Malaysia. As technology partner of the Swiss Armed Forces, the company meet military requirements every single day.
