Switzerland needs to modernise its armed forces in the next ten years and is examining whether to buy armed drones, Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli declared in an interview on Monday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/sb
العربية
ar
قائد الجيش السويسري يخطط لشراء طائرات مسلحة بدون طيار في المستقبل
“We want to completely renew a third of the army by the end of the decade – two tank battalions and six infantry battalions,” the head of the Swiss army, Thomas Süssli, toldExternal link the CH-Media group.
As part of the ongoing reflection on how to modernise Switzerland’s army, officials are examining the possible purchase of armed drones. The procurement of so-called “loitering ammunition”, which can circle over a target before striking, is being considered as a possible solution to partially replace artillery, said Süssli, who was appointed head of the Swiss army in 2019.
The procurement of rocket artillery is also being looked into, he told the newspaper group.
Süssli, who is a former banker and IT specialist, said he thought the Swiss army also needed to further develop its digital capacities. Computer images transmitted from the battlefield could help make more effective use of weapons, he declared.
Over the past few years there have been repeated calls for Switzerland’s armed forces to be boosted and better prepared.
Earlier this month the Swiss government called on parliament to raise the budget for the armed forces in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Expenditure for the armed forces should be raised by CHF600 million to a total of CHF21.7 billion over the next four years. Parliament has already decided to gradually increase army spending to at least 1% of Gross Domestic Product by 2030 at the latest.
Last year parliament gave the green light for the creation of a cyber command centre for the armed forces as part of an overhaul of the country’s cyber defence.
Under Switzerland’s militia army system, all able-bodied Swiss men are called up to do military service from the age of 19. If declared fit for military service – as on average two-thirds of conscripts are – the only way out is to opt for civilian community service on ethical grounds.
Reforms implemented in 2018 reduced the number of Swiss troops on active duty from 140,000 to 100,000. Around 10,000 are professionals, the rest are conscripts or volunteers. Military service is voluntary for women, who currently number around 1,000.
More
Switzerland – where the robots of tomorrow are born
The country is known for its watches, chocolate and pharma industry. But in recent years Switzerland has also become a leader in robotics research.
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Sylvain Saudan, ‘skier of the impossible’, dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Swiss father of extreme skiing pioneered descents from the Alps to the Himalayas – and became the sport’s first star.
Hayek family buys additional Swatch shares for nearly CHF11 million
This content was published on
Following the acquisition of registered shares worth over CHF20.6 million on Monday, the Hayek family made another purchase on Tuesday.
Suicide capsule to be used in Switzerland this year, says euthanasia organisation
This content was published on
The organisation “The Last Resort” has confirmed that the suicide capsule Sarco is to be used in Switzerland. This should happen this year, it said.
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Re-export ban ‘beginning of end’ for Swiss defence firms
This content was published on
Germany’s decision to restart the production of ammunition for Gepard tanks in its own country is having a major impact on the Swiss arms industry.
This content was published on
The Swiss government has called on parliament to raise the budget for the armed forces in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Swiss army uses drone technology. Should we worry?
This content was published on
The same small drones that search for missing people and transport medicines are increasingly being used on the battlefield.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.