Personnel news from the Swiss Armed ForcesAt its meeting on April 9, the Federal Council appointed Brigadier Christian Oppliger as the new commander of the Swiss Air Force, effective October 1, with a simultaneous promotion to the rank of divisional commander. Opplinger thus succeeds Divisional Commander Peter März, who March, who announced in mid-February that he would be leaving the army on September 30.
52-year-old Christian Oppliger successfully completed his type C school-leaving certificate in Lausanne in 1990. After completing recruit, pilot and pilot officer school, he qualified as a military pilot in 1993 and joined the professional flying corps. As a squadron pilot and instructor, he was also involved in various future-oriented project groups.
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From 2005, he worked as an F/A-18 pilot in operational testing and evaluation before taking on the role of Chief of Operational Testing and Evaluation for the Swiss Air Force in 2009. In his militia function, he led Air Wing 14 in Sion from 2007 to 2012. On April 1, 2018, he was appointed Head of Planning, Projects and Trials of the Swiss Air Force.
On July 1, 2021, he finally took over the role of Chief Introduction LW F-35A (-> Switzerland opts for F-35 fighter jets) and on 1 January 2024, the Federal Council appointed him Deputy Air Force Commander, promoting him to Brigadier General.
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