During 1952, a pair of prototypes were ordered from FFA.
On 25 April 1955, the first of these aircraft (J-3001) performed its maiden flight.
This prototype was subsequently destroyed in a crash on 31 August 1955, having conducted 22 flights with a cumulative flight time of 12 hours 38 minutes.
On 15 August 1956, the second prototype exceeded the sound barrier for the first time.
This prototype completed another 310 flights by March 1958, being withdrawn shortly thereafter.
A development contract for a batch of four pre-production aircraft was awarded.
These aircraft, which were designated Mk II, differed from the earlier prototypes in a variety of ways; perhaps most significantly, these aircraft were furnished with the more powerful Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 7 engine in place of the prototype's Sapphire 6.

Reportedly, test flights of the pre-production aircraft proved itself to have promise; during 1958, a production contract was awarded for 100 aircraft.
However, another accident occurred when the first pre-production machine (J-3003) was destroyed in a crash on 25 March 1958 after 102 flights.
According to Lombardi, the second crash was a major blow to the project; it has been claimed that the Swiss Government decided to cancel the entire order due to the accidents involved.
By the end of the 1950s, Switzerland opted to procure British-built Hawker Hunters to meet the Swiss Air Force's needs instead of the P-16.
During 1952, a pair of prototypes were ordered from FFA. On 25 April 1955, the first of these aircraft (J-3001) performed its maiden flight. This prototype was subsequently destroyed in a crash on 31 August 1955, having conducted 22 flights with a cumulative flight time of 12 hours 38 minutes. On 15 August 1956, the second prototype exceeded the sound barrier for the first time. This prototype completed another 310 flights by March 1958, being withdrawn shortly thereafter. A development contract for a batch of four pre-production aircraft was awarded. These aircraft, which were designated Mk II, differed from the earlier prototypes in a variety of ways; perhaps most significantly, these aircraft were furnished with the more powerful Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire 7 engine in place of the prototype's Sapphire 6.
Reportedly, test flights of the pre-production aircraft proved itself to have promise; during 1958, a production contract was awarded for 100 aircraft. However, another accident occurred when the first pre-production machine (J-3003) was destroyed in a crash on 25 March 1958 after 102 flights. According to Lombardi, the second crash was a major blow to the project; it has been claimed that the Swiss Government decided to cancel the entire order due to the accidents involved. By the end of the 1950s, Switzerland opted to procure British-built Hawker Hunters to meet the Swiss Air Force's needs instead of the P-16.
FFA P-16