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This article represents the structure of the Swiss Armed Forces as of 1 January 2018:

Chief of the Armed Forces

Chief of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Thomas Süssli

Other Swiss general officers are:[1]

The Medical Service (German: Sanität) consists of the following organizational units[5]

Joint Operations Command

The Joint Operations Command (German: Kommando Operationen, French: Commandement des Opérations, Italian: Comando Operazioni) is responsible for planning and conducting Swiss Armed Forces operations.[6]

The deputy commanders of the Land Forces, Air Force, and the four territorial divisions are brigadier generals.

Land Forces

The Land Forces (German: Heer, French: Forces terrestres, Italian: Forze terrestri) commands the armed forces' maneuver formations.

1st Mechanised Brigade
1st Mechanised Brigade Leopard 2A4 main battle tank

The 1st Mechanised Brigade is based in the French-speaking Romandy region and the Canton of Bern.

4th Mechanised Brigade

The 4th Mechanised Brigade is based in central Switzerland, with the 49th Artillery Group based in the Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino.

11th Mechanised Brigade
29th Mechanised Battalion CV9030 infantry fighting vehicle

The 11th Mechanised Brigade is based in the Eastern part of German-speaking Switzerland.

Land Forces battalions structure

The battalions of the Land Forces field the following subunits:

26th Bridge Engineer Battalion motorized floating bridge element

Air Force

Structure of the Swiss Armed Forces is located in Switzerland
Bern
Dübendorf
Alpnach
Locarno
Emmen
Payerne
Meiringen
Pilatus
Scopi
Weisshorn
Weissfluh
Swiss Air Force locations, 2018
Fighters Helicopters other flying units Operations Centre Radar station
Air Force Training and Education Brigade
Swiss Air Force PC-7 Turbo Trainer
Swiss Air Force TAFLIR mobile radar near Pfäfers

The Air Force Training and Education Brigade (French: Brigade d'instruction et d'entraînement des Forces aériennes) trains the air force's personnel.[19][20]

The groups of the Air Force Training and Education Brigade field the following subunits:

Airfield Command Alpnach/Dübendorf
Swiss Air Force EC 635 helicopter

The Airfield Command Alpnach/Dübendorf (German: Flugplatzkommando Alpnach/Dübendorf) consists of two helicopter formations.[25]

Airfield Command Emmen

Airfield Command Emmen (German: Flugplatzkommando Emmen) besides its own flying squadrons also hosts units of the Air Force Training and Education Brigade and the Patrouille Suisse aerobatic team.[26]

Airfield Command Locarno

Airfield Command Locarno (Italian: Comando d'aerodromo Locarno) hosts and supports the 85th Air Force Pilots School, maintains the PC-6 Porter, PC-7 Turbo Trainer, and PC-9 planes, and hosts the parachute training of the Swiss Armed Forces.[28]

Airfield Command Meiringen/Bern
Two Swiss Air Force F/A-18C Hornet fighter jets above Axalp

Airfield Command Meiringen/Bern (German: Flugplatzkommando Meiringen/Bern) is one of two fighter bases of the air force. The command also supports the Swiss Federal Government's Air Transport Service at Bern Airport.[17][29]

Airfield Command Payerne
Two Swiss Air Force F/A-18C Hornet fighter jets above releasing flares

Airfield Command Payerne (French: Commandement base aérienne Payerne) is one of two fighter bases of the air force. The command also supports the Swiss Federal Government's Air Transport Service at Bern Airport.[17][30]

33rd Anti-aircraft Training Unit
Swiss Air Force Rapier missile launcher

The 33rd Anti-aircraft Training Unit (German: Lehrverband Fliegerabwehr 33) trains the armed forces' air defense troops.[31] In wartime the guided missiles groups' fire units would be dispersed to protect formations or locations, while the medium anti-aircraft group's batteries would each protect an air force airfield.[32]

The anti-aircraft groups field the following subunits:

Wartime air wing structure

In peace the Swiss air bases are operated by a small professional cadre and rotating conscript troops. In wartime the six wings of the air force would increase in size to allow for high intensity operations. In wartime the structure of the Swiss air wings would be as follows:

For the three (1st, 2nd, 3rd) transport wings the example given is for the 2nd Air Transport Wing (peacetime units in bold):[37][38]

For the three (11th, 13th, 14th) fighter wings the example given is for the 13th Fighter Wing (peacetime units in bold):[37]

1st Territorial Division

The 1st Territorial Division (French: Division territoriale 1, German: Territorialdivision 1) is based in the French-speaking Romandy region and the bilingual Canton of Bern. Its area of responsibility includes the cantons of Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, and Vaud.[39]

2nd Territorial Division

The 2nd Territorial Division (German: Territorialdivision 2) is based in the German-speaking part of Northern Switzerland and responsible for the cantons of Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Luzern, Nidwalden, Obwalden, and Solothurn.[40]

3rd Territorial Division

The 3rd Territorial Division (German: Territorialdivision 3, Italian: Divisione territoriale 3) is based in the German-speaking central part of Switzerland and the Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino. Its area of responsibility includes the cantons of Graubünden, Schwyz, Ticino, Uri, and Zug.[41]

4th Territorial Division

The 4th Territorial Division (German: Territorialdivision 4) is based in the German-speaking Eastern part of Switzerland and responsible for the cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Glarus, St. Gallen, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, and Zürich.[42]

Territorial Division battalion structure

The battalions of the territorial divisions field the following subunits:

Military Police Command

The Military Police Command (German: Kommando Militärpolizei, French: Commandement de la police militaire, Italian: Comando della polizia militare) is the Swiss Armed forces Military Police formation and staffed with professional and conscript soldiers.

The battalions of the Military Police Command field the following subunits:

Special Forces Command

The Special Forces Command (German: Kommando Spezialkräfte, French: Commandement des forces spéciales, Italian: Comando forze speciali, abbreviated KSK) is based in the Canton of Ticino.[52]

The battalions of the Special Forces Command field the following subunits:

Training Command

The Training Command (German: Kommando Ausbildung, French: Commandement de l'Instruction, Italian: Comando Istruzione) is responsible for planning, steering and carrying out the training and education of troops of all ranks, including officers, units and staffs.[56]

Armed Forces College

The Armed Forces College (German: Höhere Kaderausbildung der Armee) provides leadership and staff training for conscript officers, career officers and non-commissioned officers. Furthermore the college's Military Academy at ETH Zurich is Switzerland's leading military science research institution.[58]

Armed Forces Personnel

The Armed Forces Personnel (German: Personelles der Armee) is the personnel management department of the Swiss Armed Forces.[59]

Infantry Training Unit

The Infantry Training Unit (French: Formation d’application de l'infanterie) trains the armed forces' infantry troops, military police, and musicians.[65]

Panzer and Artillery Training Unit

The Panzer and Artillery Training Unit (German: Lehrverband Panzer und Artillerie) trains the armed forces' armoured and artillery troops, and the troops of the territorial divisions' staff battalions.[68]

Engineer/ Civil Protection/ NBC Training Unit

The Engineer/ Civil Protection/ NBC Training Unit (German: Lehrverband Genie/Rettung/ABC) trains the armed forces' engineer, civil protection, CBRN defense, disaster relief, and demining troops. The unit is also responsible for the Swiss Armed Forces naval troops and divers, and the armed forces athletes and sport training.[60]

Command Support Training Unit

The Command Support Training Unit (German: Lehrverband Führungsunterstützung) trains the armed forces' signal, electronic warfare, and command support troops.[61]

Logistic Training Unit

Groupe vétérinaire et animaux de l’armée 13 train column above Disentis

The Logistic Training Unit trains (German: Lehrverband Logistik) the armed forces' medical, logistics, movement control, transport, maintenance, and veterinary troops, and the armed forces' animals.[62]

Armed Forces Training Centre

The Armed Forces Training Centre (German: Ausbildungszentrum der Armee) is responsible for the initial and continuing education of the armed forces' professional personnel, combat exercises with simulation support, and safety-related matters on all shooting ranges.[63]

Armed Forces Command Support Organisation

The Armed Forces Command Support Organisation (German: Führungsunterstützungsbasis) operates the Swiss military's information and communications network and the electronic operations centres.[74] The Armed Forces Command Support Organisation and the Armed Forces Logistics Organisation are in the process of being merged to form a new Support Command.[75]

41st Command Support Brigade

The 41st Command Support Brigade (German: Führungsunterstützungsbrigade 41) is the military part of the Command Support Organisation and supports the operational units of the Armed Forces.[76]

The battalions of the 41st Command Support Brigade field the following subunits:

Armed Forces Logistics Organisation

The Armed Forces Logistics Organisation (German: Logistikbasis der Armee) prepares and maintains the materiel and infrastructures of the Swiss Armed Forces. The Logistics Organisation's areas not assigned to the 1st Logistic Brigade are manned and managed by civilian staff.[83] The Armed Forces Logistics Organisation and the Armed Forces Command Support Organisation are in the process of being merged to form a new Support Command.[75]

1st Logistic Brigade

The 1st Logistic Brigade (German: Logistikbrigade 1) is the military part of the Logistics Organisation and supports the operational units of the Armed Forces.[84]

The battalions of the 1st Logistic Brigade field the following subunits:

Armed Forces Organization Graphic

Structure of the Swiss Armed Forces since the 2018 reform (click to enlarge)

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External links

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