Swiss to prioritise anti-drone defences

Ground defences against drones are to be prioritised Keystone / Peter Schneider

The Swiss government will prioritise ground-based air defense to better protect airspace and counter drone attacks. To achieve this, it wants to put other projects on hold to save money.

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In order to strengthen land-based air defense, the Federal Council proposed to accept three motions due before parliament in the winter session.

The security policy committees of both chambers call for a “rapid and comprehensive response to the extraordinary threat that Russia poses to European airspace”.

The motion’s authors demand that the Federal Council acquire the necessary systems and sufficient munitions to protect Swiss airspace. The objective must be to be able to neutralise a drone attack, “even in large numbers.” “The extraordinary situation requires immediate action,” the texts further state.

The security policy situation in Europe has deteriorated significantly in recent months, the Federal Council stated in its response published Thursday. Therefore, it is prepared to prioritise ground-based air defense “within the limits of available resources.” This will consequently impact rebuilding of other capabilities.

The defence ministry recently hinted at the publication of a report on air defence and counter-drone strategy.

Translated from French by DeepL/mga

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