Slideshow: Test day for the Eurofighter in Switzerland

An Airbus Eurofighter jet takes off during a test day at the Swiss Army airbase, in Payerne, Switzerland, as part of the process for the five types of combat aircraft – Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing F-18 Super Hornet, the Dassault Rafale, the Lockheed Martin F-35A and the Saab Gripen E -under consideration to replace the country’s ageing fleet. Several demonstrations are scheduled between now and early July.

The process is part of the Swiss “Air 2030” program, an $8.2 billion project to buy new aircraft and ground-based equipment for policing the country’s airspace. All contenders must complete eight test flights each, including one at night.

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The variant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. According to a spokesman, the jets are British because those have the newest configuration. At the end of April, Boeing will present its F-18 Super Hornet and in mid-May, Dassault will demonstrate the twin-engine Rafale jet. The F-35 and Saab Gripen E trials are scheduled to complete the line-up of test flights in late June.

(Photos:EPA-EFE/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT)