Lufttransport Staffel 1
Lufttransport Staffel 1 is a Swiss Air Force helicopter and air-transport squadron based at Payerne Air Base.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Lufttransport Staffel 1, commonly abbreviated LT St 1 and known in French as Escadrille Transport Aérien «La UNE», is a transport squadron of the Swiss Air Force. It is based at Payerne Air Base in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and forms part of Lufttransportgeschwader 1 together with Lufttransport Staffel 5. The unit is identified by an emblem showing a black bat in front of an orange number 1 on a green field. The squadron was established in 1965 as a helicopter unit serving the Swiss military. Its aircraft history reflects the modernization of Swiss military aviation. It operated the Piper Super Cub until 1973, the Alouette II from 1968 to 1992, and the Alouette III from 1974 until 2010. Its current fleet is associated with the Super Puma, Cougar, and EC635 helicopter families. The combination of transport helicopters and specialized navigation and night-vision equipment allows the squadron to operate in demanding conditions, including at night. LT St 1's central responsibility is air transport in support of the Swiss Army. This includes moving personnel and equipment, transporting cargo along established routes, and providing helicopter capability for military operations. The squadron also undertakes search-and-rescue duties and can be assigned to support civilian authorities. Examples of such assistance include police operations, fighting forest fires, evacuating people during avalanche emergencies, and border-monitoring flights. These roles place the unit at the intersection of military aviation, public safety, disaster response, and national infrastructure support. The squadron includes professional and militia pilots. Reference material describes a complement of 18 pilots, with the unit operating a mixed personnel model typical of Switzerland's militia-based defense system. In 2002, a Payerne airfield-command team associated with the squadron deployed to Kosovo for a 16-week KFOR mission. The team consisted of two pilots and three mechanics, illustrating the unit's ability to contribute personnel and aviation support beyond Switzerland when assigned to an international operation. The bat emblem is linked to the squadron's ability to fly using night-vision and helicopter navigation systems. Rather than representing a commercial consumer brand, LT St 1 functions as a military organizational identity: its name, French-language designation, aircraft, crest, and operational reputation distinguish the unit within the Swiss Air Force. Its public-facing significance derives from its transport, rescue, emergency-support, and expeditionary roles rather than from commercial products or sales activity.
History
Lufttransport Staffel 1 was founded in 1965 as a helicopter squadron of the Swiss Air Force serving the French-speaking region of Switzerland. Its institutional role has remained centered on transport aviation, although the aircraft used and the range of missions assigned to it have evolved substantially over time. During its early decades, the squadron operated the Piper Super Cub, which remained in use until 1973. The Alouette II entered the unit's historical equipment profile in 1968 and was used through 1992. The Alouette III followed from 1974 and remained associated with the squadron until 2010. These aircraft provided the light utility and transport capabilities needed for military support, liaison, rescue, and other helicopter operations. The unit's more recent operational identity is built around larger and more capable helicopters, including the AS332M1 Super Puma, AS532UL Cougar, and Eurocopter EC635. The fleet enables the squadron to move army personnel and cargo, perform transport flights along regular routes, and conduct operations requiring helicopter mobility. Night-vision and navigation equipment have also supported operations in darkness and contributed to the bat imagery used in the squadron's insignia. LT St 1 operates from Payerne Air Base and forms part of Lufttransportgeschwader 1 with Lufttransport Staffel 5. Its personnel structure includes professional and militia pilots; reference material identifies a total of 18 professional and militia pilots. This structure reflects the broader Swiss defense model, in which full-time military personnel operate alongside militia members. The squadron's responsibilities extend beyond routine military transport. It performs search-and-rescue work and may assist Swiss civilian authorities in police operations, forest-fire response, avalanche evacuations, and border-monitoring flights. These tasks make the unit a flexible national capability for situations in which helicopters can provide rapid access, lift, observation, or evacuation support. The squadron has also participated in an international deployment. In 2002, a team from the Payerne airfield command, and consequently associated with Lufttransport Staffel 1, served in Kosovo on a 16-week KFOR mission. The detachment comprised two pilots and three mechanics. This deployment demonstrated the squadron's ability to provide trained aviation personnel and technical support in an overseas peace-support context. Today, Lufttransport Staffel 1 remains an active Swiss Air Force transport squadron. It is not a commercial logistics company or a conventional consumer brand; its identity is that of a military unit whose emblem and designation organize public recognition of its operational role. Its continuity is expressed through the LT St 1 name, the «La UNE» French designation, the bat-and-number insignia, and its continuing use of transport helicopters for military, rescue, and civil-support missions.
- 2010
Alouette III period ends
[1]The squadron's documented use of the Alouette III ended, completing a long phase of Alouette helicopter operations.
- 2002
KFOR deployment to Kosovo
[1]A Payerne airfield-command team associated with the squadron undertook a 16-week Kosovo mission in support of KFOR, comprising two pilots and three mechanics.
- 1992
Alouette II period ends
[1]The squadron ended its documented use of the Alouette II.
- 1974
Alouette III period begins
[1]The Alouette III entered the squadron's historical fleet and remained in service with it until 2010.
- 1973
Piper Super Cub use ends
[1]The squadron's use of the Piper Super Cub ended after a period in which the aircraft supported its earlier aviation activities.
- 1968
Alouette II period begins
[1]The squadron began operating Alouette II helicopters, which remained in its historical aircraft inventory until 1992.
- 1965
Squadron founded
[1]Lufttransport Staffel 1 was established as a Swiss Air Force helicopter squadron serving the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
Products and positioning
A Swiss Air Force transport and utility-helicopter squadron combining military airlift, rescue capability, and support for civilian authorities.
Light utility aircraft
Piper PA-18 Super Cub
The Piper PA-18 Super Cub was part of the squadron's earlier aircraft history and was used until 1973. In the unit's context, it represented a light aviation capability preceding later generations of dedicated transport helicopters.
Light utility helicopter
Alouette II
The Alouette II was operated by Lufttransport Staffel 1 from 1968 to 1992. It provided the light helicopter capability associated with the squadron during an important period of its development as a Swiss military transport unit.
Utility helicopter
Alouette III
The Alouette III served with the squadron from 1974 until 2010. Its long period of use made it a significant part of LT St 1's transport and utility-helicopter heritage before the unit moved to newer platforms.
Military transport helicopter
AS332M1 Super Puma
The AS332M1 Super Puma is one of the modern helicopter types associated with the squadron. It supports the unit's core air-transport role, including the movement of army personnel and cargo and operations requiring a larger utility helicopter.
Military transport helicopter
AS532UL Cougar
The AS532UL Cougar forms part of the squadron's modern transport-helicopter capability. It is suited to the broad utility mission set described for LT St 1, spanning military transport, rescue support, and assistance to civil authorities.
Light military utility helicopter
Eurocopter EC635
The EC635 is among the helicopter types associated with the squadron's present-day operations. It complements the heavier transport platforms and contributes to the unit's flexible military and public-service aviation roles.
Sources1 sources
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