Swiss agree long-term armament cooperation deal with US
The Swiss government has given the green light for strengthening cooperation on armament research with the United States.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/urs
The aim is the development of information and sensor technology for military and civilian use, according to a statement by the defence ministry on Wednesday.
The development of such technologies is likely to be crucial for the performance and the vulnerability of a key system of Switzerland’s armed forces, the ministry says.
The deal will allow Switzerland to benefit from closer cooperation with research institution in the US, notably for the transfer of experience and know-how for future systems in the army and for the protection of the civilian population from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
The bilateral agreement is valid for 20 years after the signature by both states.
Switzerland cooperates with several other countries – including Germany, France, Sweden, Norway as well as Israel and Australia – on armament issues.
The European Defence Agency, an intergovernmental institution of the European Union, last year proposed boosting cooperation with Switzerland.
This content was published on
Switzerland is particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks because of its high-tech infrastructure and financial services sector. A report published in 2015 by the professional service company, KPMG, stated that Swiss companies suffered losses of over CHF200 million ($201 million) due to cybercrime in 2014. “You are attacked all the time, but you just don’t know it,”…
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.
Read more
More
Researchers find answer to countering bio-weapons
This content was published on
Using the new generation of digital cameras for electron microscopes, molecular biologists tracked how the toxin aerolysin morphs itself during deadly attacks on cells. The findings could also form the basis of new drugs for Alzheimer’s and a range of other diseases. Researchers discovered how aerolysin, which is produced by the flesh-eating Aeromonas hydrophila bacteria,…
Report faults foreign policy on military training and armaments
This content was published on
A report sees room for improvement in Swiss military cooperation after embarrassing public reversals on Swedish fighter jets and training for Russian soldiers
This content was published on
On Monday, the Senate voted for the purchase of six unarmed Hermes 900 drones (30 votes for, 12 against), which followed earlier approval by the House of Representatives. Campaigners had criticised the deal with Israeli company Elbit Systems, urging Switzerland not to invest in Israel’s military complex due to its “systematic human rights abuses” against…
This content was published on
The audit will focus on the profits made under agreements concluded between RUAG and the Swiss army, Urs Breitmeier explained Saturday to public broadcaster SRF. In mid-December, the newspapers “Ostschweiz am Sonntag” and “Zentralschweiz am Sonntag” estimated that RUAG had overcharged the military by approximately CH40 million ($41 million) annually. The newspapers said that the profit margins for the…
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.