120 secondes - Les forces aériennes suisses ne sont disponibles que pendant les heures de bureau

120 seconds: special guest interviews

[Journalist] We're revisiting the hijacking
of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing

yesterday morning in the Geneva airport.

After the crisis was over, we learned that
fighter jets from the Italian and French armies

that escorted the plane, the Swiss Air Force
being unavailable until 8 A.M.

So, we had hoped to talk to the chief of
staff of the air force, but he couldn't join us.

[Guest] No, because it's not 8 A.M. yet,
right? [chuckles]

[Journalist] Right, and so you,
Lieutenant-Colonel Karl-Heinz Inäbnit,

are standing in for him.

[Inäbnit] Yes, Chief of Staff Müller, head
of the air force, is a good friend of mine.

He sends his regards, you know.

[Journalist] Thank you.

[Inäbnit] I ate dinner with him yesterday
at 6 P.M. and he explained to me

how all this works, so I can answer
your questions.

[Journalist] Great. So you confirm that
the air force starts working at 8 A.M.?

[Inäbnit] No! Work starts at 7:15 A.M.,
you know. First we have to start up the

computer, which takes 2, 3 minutes since
we use Windows 95 you know.

Then we see if we received any e-mails,
for example, e-mails declaring war or whatnot.

After that, we have to move the planes
out of the garage, do a little "psh psh"

with the window cleaners, and after
have a little coffee, and then we're ready.

[Journalist] Yesterday, the spokesman
for the air force also confirmed

to the Geneva Tribune that the Swiss jets
could not fly until after 8 A.M., and then

only until noon -

[Inäbnit] Yes.

[Journalist] - then again from 1:30 to 5:00,
so basically during office hours, right?

[Inäbnit] Yeah, because at noon, there's
a break -

[Journalist] Mhm.

[Inäbnit] - for lunch.

Then at 5:30, well, obviously, we have to
do a little "psh psh" again and then

put the planes in the garage for the night
to make sure no kids come to break off the

side mirrors or slash the tires, you know.

[Journalist] So if we total it up, Colonel,
that's 7.5 available hours out of 24.

[Inäbnit] Yes.
[Journalist] So our skies aren't protected

for 2/3 of the day, then.
[Inäbnit] Oh no, they're always protected,

but obviously, we outsource protection
during the night, obviously,

and during breaks as well.

[Journalist] So, in these days when the Swiss
people wish to fight against mass immigration,

it's a prickly issue, this story, because
who can imagine more massive immigration

than that done by foreign jets -
[Inäbnit] Yes.

[Journalist] - especially if they come
attack a plane in Swiss air fields.

[Inäbnit] Yeah, all that, that's because
of money. The army needs more dough

obviously, we don't have enough cash,
because, you see, it's expensive to

have teams available 24/7. It's also for
that reason that we need to buy Gripens.

Obviously, we need Gripens.

[Journalist] Certain