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Too Loud for the Valley? Resistance to the F-35 Grows in Meiringen Amidst Deep Mistrust
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Conflict & Security

Too Loud for the Valley? Resistance to the F-35 Grows in Meiringen Amidst Deep Mistrust

From Neue Zürcher Zeitung · (3d ago) German Critical tone

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Residents near the Meiringen military airbase are protesting the introduction of F-35 fighter jets, citing concerns about increased noise pollution.
  • The Swiss Department of Defence (VBS) claims the new jets will be only slightly louder and that overall noise levels will remain similar due to fewer flight movements.
  • Critics, however, argue the F-35 will be significantly louder in the narrow valley and are demanding transparency and independent noise measurements.

A growing chorus of opposition is rising in the picturesque valley of Meiringen against the planned introduction of F-35 fighter jets into Swiss airspace. While the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS) attempts to assuage fears, local residents and environmental groups are sounding the alarm, warning that the new aircraft could shatter the peace of their alpine home.

The F-35 will be twice as loud as the F/A-18 here.

— Peter MichelExpressing concern about the noise impact of the F-35 in Meiringen's valley.

The VBS maintains that the F-35, set to arrive in Switzerland from mid-2028, will only be "somewhat louder" than the current F/A-18 fleet, with noise levels remaining comparable due to a projected halving of flight operations. They point to simulator training and longer flight durations as reasons for reduced activity. The department also plans to equip some 275 buildings nationwide with soundproof windows at federal expense, with most in Emmen.

However, these assurances fall flat for many, including Peter Michel, a retired farmer and head of an interest group representing around 250 members. He emphasizes that he is not anti-military, but the current F/A-18 jets already cause distress to young livestock. Michel is convinced the F-35 will be twice as loud in Meiringen's confined valley, a point he claims was even confirmed by the airbase commander. He dismisses the noise measurements from Payerne as inapplicable to Meiringen's unique topography.

The young cattle already panic when an F/A-18 takes off.

— Peter MichelDescribing the current noise disturbance from military aircraft.

This local resistance highlights a common tension in Switzerland between national defence modernization and the preservation of quality of life in rural and alpine regions. While the federal government focuses on operational efficiency and technological advancement, communities like Meiringen are grappling with the tangible impacts on their environment and daily lives. The demand for transparency and independent measurements underscores a deep-seated mistrust of official pronouncements and a desire for local voices to be heard in decisions that directly affect their valley.

It's only 'somewhat louder,' said Bruno Locher, Head of Space and Environment at the VBS General Secretariat, to the media.

— Bruno LocherDownplaying the noise increase of the F-35 compared to the F/A-18.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Neue Zürcher Zeitung in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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