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Swiss parliamentary committee seeks extra billion for army ammunition

National Council committee wants additional billion for army ammunition
National Council committee wants additional billion for army ammunition Keystone-SDA

A committee of the Swiss House of Representatives wants to boost the 2025 armaments programme by CHF1 billion and for Switzerland to swiftly acquire ammunition for its ground-based air defence and other systems.

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The House of Representatives’ Security Policy Committee (SIK-N) has requested funding, passing the motion by 16 votes to 9, according to parliamentary services on Tuesday. The House of Representatives will make a final decision on this during the summer session as part of the military budget.

The decision means the extra funds will be used to buy ammunition for long and medium-range ground-based air defence systems (Bodluv) and for medium-range indirect fire support systems. The goal is to boost endurance.

The majority believes it’s crucial for Switzerland to secure contracts promptly with the approval of the first batch of ammunition, ensuring delivery slots are reserved, according to the press release. Additionally, some of the ammunition could be produced domestically.

The minority insists on finding a financing solution before discussing any additional funding. The Social Democrats and the Greens have criticised the committee’s decision to procure more artillery ammunition, calling it “unrealistic,” “irresponsible,” and “excessive.”

Translated from German with DeepL/sp

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