Armasuisse, the Swiss defence ministry’s procurement, technology and estate agency, has taken delivery of the first batch of AIM-9X infra-red guided air-to-air missiles on December 13, 2007. They were delivered by a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft at the military air base at Payerne.

The AIM-9X Sidewinder is a latest-generation infra-red guided missile that will arm the Swiss Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet combat aircraft. It replaces the previous AIM-9P Sidewinder model, which is now obsolete. It is more capable in difficult weather conditions, and at high off-boresight angles.

Armaments Program 2003 earmarked 115 million Swiss francs for this acquisition. The number of missiles being procured is classified. Given the current security situation, and financial constraints, only the minimal number of missiles needed to maintain essential capabilities was acquired.

In Switzerland, the F/A-18 combat aircraft is usually referred to as F-18 since it is primarily used in the air defense role only, unlike its American more multi-role counterparts. Swiss Hornets are armed with the AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missile, AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range IR guided missile (now the AIM-9X) and M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon.