Swiss press calls for clear army strategy

The Swiss Air Force will have to make do with its current fleet Keystone

The government and Defence Minister Ueli Maurer in particular are the target of much criticism in Thursday’s Swiss newspapers over the issue of new fighter planes.

It follows a government decision delaying the partial replacement of the army’s ageing Tiger jets for financial reasons until 2015 at the latest. Buying 22 new planes would have cost up to SFr4.8 billion ($4.6 billion).

The Berner Zeitung sums up its feelings under the headline “Sad army debacle”. It comments that by giving itself up to five years to make a decision on the issue is “typical for the way in which the government deals with the army”.

“There is no clear strategy…you tend to think there is a certain lack of interest by the government. That is unacceptable.”

It also notes that at a time when there are failings in the army over equipment, IT and “chaos” in army logistics, there should be some order on the ground before buying high-tech products for the air.

The Geneva newspaper Le Temps pulls no punches, calling Maurer the “minister of insecurity”.

No security concept

Up till now, it comments that Maurer has come up with no thoughts on his concept of security and no definition of what the army’s mission is.

“No one knows what the army is good for. Yesterday we had to replace the Tigers at all costs. Today the 33 F/A-18 (Hornets) are enough.”

The editorial in the Bund newspaper of Bern and Zurich’s Tages-Anzeiger says Maurer and his colleagues are afraid of calling a spade a spade.

A realistic assessment of a threat against Switzerland knocks not only the wishes of the air force on the head.

“It must also lead to a much smaller army with far fewer soldiers doing refresher courses. But conservative-minded people feel this is a threat to Switzerland’s militia system and therefore a loss of identity.”

More defence cooperation

The papers calls for more defence cooperation with Switzerland’s neighbours and feels that any new planes must also fit into their security concept.

The Basler Zeitung is much kinder in its assessment of the situation, saying the government’s decision was correct from both the political and security points of view.

“There is no military enemy in sight for years…to fulfil its role as a policeman of the air, the air force has enough [planes] with its 54 Tigers and 22 F/A-18s.

“However, the future position of the air force should be clarified as soon as possible.”

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung says the government’s decision stands out in stark contrast to remarks made in a recent security policy report.

Serious examination?

It asks whether the defence ministry and the government looked seriously at all the possibilities of financing the planes.

The 24 Heures newspaper makes the point that the Swiss are prepared to serve [their country] but differently.

“They ask for only one thing: that there is a sense in what they are doing.”

Are their losers and winners after Wednesday’s decision? Apart from picking out Maurer as a loser, the Neue Luzerner Zeitung mentions the three companies that had been candidates to supply the planes.

It said France’s Dassault, the EADs consortium and Sweden’s Saab had spent millions in trying to secure the contract.

The paper counts the Group for a Switzerland without an Army as a winner. It made the point that the pacifist group had achieved the goal of its people’s initiative calling for no new fighter planes before 2020 without even a voting campaign.

Robert Brookes, swissinfo.ch

In brief

Switzerland has an ageing fleet of 54 Tiger fighter jets which the defence ministry had planned to replace.

Buying 22 new planes would have cost up to SFr4.8 billion ($4.6 billion).

The defence and finance ministries will decide by the end of 2015 how much can be spent on replacements and when.

Missions of the Swiss Air Force

Protect Switzerland’s airspace, guaranteeing air sovereignty (including air policing tasks), and defence

Carry out air transport operations

Gather and disseminate intelligence for our
political and military leadership

Source: Swiss Air Force brochure