Swiss army looks to repurpose old bunkers
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Swiss army looks to repurpose old bunkers
The army is looking for a “modern” solution for its decommissioned fortress mortar bunkers. Under the current tender, the aim is to turn them into hardened defence hubs that are difficult to attack.
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“Given the changing threat landscape, we’re now looking into how the army can make modern use of the former sites,” reads a preliminary notice from the Federal Armaments Office (armasuisse) published on the Simap procurement platform. The tender was first reported on Saturday by Swiss newspapers Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) and Blick.
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According to the tender, the proposed solution – suitable for militia use – should be capable of striking both armoured and unarmoured ground targets, as well as low-flying aerial threats. Wherever possible, the existing bunker infrastructure is to remain unchanged, but upgraded with modern weapon systems. The goal is to have a system that can be operational within just a few hours.
Bringing stakeholders together
The call for proposals appears to target start-ups, companies and universities working on security-related technologies, according to the listing on Simap. More details will be shared at an innovation day hosted by the Swiss Society for Technology and Armed Forces (STA) in mid-September. “We’re looking for ideas from all sectors, not just defence,” the STA writes in its invitation. The aim is to spark partnerships and potential projects among participants.
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In response to the war in Ukraine, the army stopped selling off its bunkers in 2023. At the time, Swiss Army Chief Thomas Süssli told media company Tamedia that the military was reviewing its catalogue of command and combat facilities. “We have to make use of what we’ve got,” he said. Now, according to a preliminary notice from armasuisse, the aim is to find an effective solution for the old fortress mortar sites – one that’s both cost-efficient and requires minimal personnel.
Translated from German with DeepL/sp
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