 According to periodical Popular Mechanics, this ability to operate from short runways was particularly ambitious, as such a requirement had proved to be a substantial and persistence hindrance in efforts to procure suitable jet fighters for the Swiss Air Force.By the end of 1950, the Swiss Air Force had procured numerous subsonic jet aircraft from foreign sources, including the British de Havilland Vampire and de Havilland Venom fighters; however, the service still had a vacant role for a supersonic-capable fighter.During 1952, a pair of prototypes were ordered from FFA.