The Swiss Senate has voted to ground the Patrouille Suisse, the country's iconic air show team, by the end of 2027. The decision, passed with a 25 to 19 vote, was driven by the high operational costs and the outdated nature of the F-5 Tiger jets used by the team.

Despite passionate arguments from some senators, including SVP's Werner Salzmann, who emphasized the team's role in strengthening national defense and its symbolic value, the financial constraints prevailed.

The Swiss government plans to redirect funds towards modernizing military equipment, with the introduction of new F-35 jets.

While the Patrouille Suisse may continue with more cost-effective aircraft in the future, the current fleet's days are numbered.

A petition with over 8,000 signatures has been submitted in an attempt to save the team, and there is talk of a potential public initiative to keep the tradition alive.