Israeli supplier bears service costs for streamlined Swiss drones

Supplier bears service costs for technically slimmed-down drones Keystone-SDA

Switzerland is procuring a reconnaissance drone system from the Israeli manufacturer Elbit. As some of the drones' functions have to be dispensed with, the supplier in Israel will cover the fixed costs of the service contract for nine years.

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The Federal Armaments Office (armasuisse) and Elbit Systems Ltd have signed a contract addendum to this effect, armasuisse announced on Monday. Elbit will bear the fixed costs for the service contract for the nine years 2024 to 2032.

The procurement of the reconnaissance drone system has been delayed. It should actually have been completed in 2019. Seven years later, at the end of 2026, all the material should be in Switzerland, Head of Defence Urs Loher said.

+ Israeli drone headache continues for Swiss army

In September the defence ministry, armasuisse and the army decided to dispense with central functions. The drones will not be equipped with an automatic evasion system, a system for GPS-independent take-offs and landings or a de-icing system. Nevertheless, they would have centralised capabilities such as long reconnaissance flights.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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