Swiss army beefs up drone defences

The Swiss army steps up its defence against drones Keystone-SDA

Switzerland is acquiring a new defence system to detect minidrones and protect military infrastructure.

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According to the government, the semi-mobile system can also be used for missions by the civil authorities or to promote peace.

A trial of this new system was carried out in the field in 2025 and proved positive. The army has therefore commissioned armasuisse, the Swiss defence procurement agency, to acquire it.

The army still has to decide which model it wants to acquire. Framework contracts have also been signed for the purchase of minidrones, accessories and services. A budget of CHF108 million has been earmarked for this purpose.

In recent weeks, drones have violated European airspace on several occasions. On Thursday, the Swiss army reported that mini-UAVs have been observed flying over military or troop areas on several occasions this year.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

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