A paradigm shift is currently taking place in Switzerland, where the Swiss are not only considering reactivating their reactivate their bunkersbut also to purchase long-range weapons systems.
There is talk of a real rethink among Swiss military personnel: The army no longer wants to simply fend off its potential enemy at the national border. It is now considering investing in long-range cruise missiles.
The Swiss tip the scales at AGM-158B-2 JASSM
The AGM-158B-2 JASSM cruise missile is a must-have for many countries: the USA, Israel and Australia have it; Poland, Japan and the Netherlands have ordered it; Finland and Germany have also ordered it. Now the Swiss army leadershipis also considering procuring the US cruise missile. This would be fired from the F-35 fighter aircraft, of which Switzerland has ordered 36 units.
The army leadership is pursuing two goals with this procurement: Firstly, it wants to have the capability for long-range counter-attacks. And secondly, to deter potential attackers.
Paradigm shift in the Swiss Armed Forces
Since Marignano in 1515, when the Swiss were crushed in Italy, the Swiss have only defended their enemies from their own national border. But today, with missiles, guided weapons and drones flying thousands of kilometers, static defensive defense at the national border is outdated in the opinion of the Swiss military. Instead, modern military doctrine requires active defense – beyond borders.
Army spokesman Stefan Hofer confirms: “Internal army considerations are underway to strengthen the deterrent effect in future with means that could be deployed over longer distances beyond the national border. Such capabilities can signal to a potential opponent that an attack would be associated with high costs and risks.”
Investments also in ground-to-air defense
Switzerland has already ordered five Patriot systems with a range of 160 kilometers from the USA for ground-to-air defence. Negotiations are also underway to order up to five units of the medium-range Iris T ground-to-air defense system from the German manufacturer Diehl Defence. German manufacturer Diehl Defense.
These missiles reach 40 kilometers and are designed to combat enemy aircraft, helicopters and guided missiles.
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