Swiss military aircraft serials

In Switzerland, to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a serial number.

Pre Air Force Years to 1915
From 1900 to 1915 the Swiss Military had artillery observation balloons. The balloons were usually referred to by a name, for example Vagabond, Bise, Föhn, etc. The numbering of the balloon corps was autonomous and had nothing to do with the numbers of Fliegerabteilung (Air Force). The Balloons had the serials from 1 to 20.

The Swiss Air Force was founded in 1914. The first Aircraft started with the serials 21, 22, 23, .. In 1915 the Balloons get the prefix "K". Some requisitioned Aircraft don't get any serial number.

1915 to 1936
The serial numbers were all without a prefix and reached from 21 to 873.

Aircraft serial numbering
The Swiss Air Force military aircraft are identified by a role prefix and number, the prefix or code identifies the role and the serial numbers the type or variant, the system was introduced in 1936.

The letter or letters give the role of the aircraft.
 * Letter code

This is followed by a number having from two to four digits.

The first digit identifies the aircraft type. The next three are for the sub-type and the individual aircraft, with the first and sometimes second for the subtype; and the third and sometimes fourth for the individual aircraft, In the following examples, "x" identifies the individual aircraft:
 * Four-digit numbers
 * Mirage IIIBS = J-200x
 * Mirage IIIDS = J-201x
 * Mirage IIIRS = R-21xx
 * Mirage IIIC = J-22xx
 * Mirage IIIS = J-23xx
 * F-5E = J-30xx (serials previously used for the FFA P-16)
 * F-5F = J-32xx

Most aircraft have three numbers. These follow a broadly similar pattern to the four-digit numbers, although there are exceptions.
 * Three-digit numbers

Transport aircraft have a first digit of 3 for helicopters and 7 for fixed wing aircraft.

Target drones have only two numbers.
 * Two-digit numbers

Using of civil serial by Military Aviation
Until 2005 it was possible that the Swiss Air Force used for its VIP aircraft a military aircraft serial T-XXX  or a civil serial HB-XXX. Since 2005 all Swiss Air Force VIP aircraft have only military aircraft serials. For e.g. Cessna 560XL former HB-VAA  now T-784.

Armasuisse
Armasuisse belongs, like the Air Force, to the Defense Department. Armasuisse Operates tree aircraft, two of them have a civil aircraft serials ( Pilatus PC-6 HB-FCF   and Pilatus PC-12 HB-FOG) and one with a military aircraft serial  (Diamond DA42 R-711).