defence units in 1968 and leading to separation of users and procurement officials. In February 1968, the airfield brigade 32 was founded as part of a reorganization. The airbase group comprised all military airfields in Switzerland, around 16,000 members of the army. Built up by a brigadestaff, airfield regiments Valais (1), Berner Oberland (2), Central Switzerland and Ticino (3) and a nationwide operating Light airfield division. In combination with the Bundesamt für Militärflugplätze (BAMF), this organization, together with its ZV Central Administration in Dübendorf, constituted a robust structure, which could be activated by mobilization within 48 hours. The Patrouille Suisse aerobatics team was founded in 1964, the 50th anniversary year of Swiss army aviation. In 1969, airforce logistics and airdefence were reassigned into brigades, the Armed Forces Meteo Group and Avalanche Rescue Service came under air force and air defence command and the Para Reconnaissance Company was established. In the 1970s major manoeuvres with over 22,000 participants took place. A new air defence concept was also introduced in which the air superiority fighter in interceptor role stood central. In 1974 the first 2 Northrop F-5 Tiger fighters were tested and in 1978 the first F-5 Tiger fighter/interceptor squadron became ops. The F-5 is currently still ops but is scheduled to be replaced in 2018. Post-Cold War In the late 1980s changing political and military world situations implied the need of multirole aircraft in the Air Force. After evaluation, the performance of the F/A-18 Hornet was decisive in its selection. Designed for carrier-borne ops, it was optimally suited to operate from very short runways with steep take-offs. Its radar allowed detection of multiple targets and simultaneously engaging with medium-range air to air missiles. Between 1996 and 1999, 34 licence-built Hornets left the assembly lines at Emmen. As the F/A-18 size is larger than either the Mirage III or Tiger II the caverns in the mountains used to protect the aircraft had to be enlarged, a continuing process as of 2011. The 100th anniversary of the Swiss Air Force has been celebrated in 2014 with the airshow Air14 at Payerne. Missions Switzerland is a small country which has always kept its neutrality. Therefore, its air component is also limited in size and not capable of fighting a long term full scale air conflict. So the main Swiss Air Force mission is guaranteeing Swiss air sovereignty and air defence throughout the country. This