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Swiss government eyes dropping purchase of US Patriot air defence system
Bern is weighing cancellation after Washington delayed five ordered systems and redirected support to Ukraine, while payments remain suspended.
- On Wednesday, Defence Minister Martin Pfister said Switzerland is considering cancelling its Patriot air-defence system purchase from the United States amid severe delivery delays, telling ATS-Keystone, "Cancellation is alway an option in the event of a delay."
- Switzerland ordered five Patriot systems in 2022, with delivery scheduled to complete in 2028, but Washington delayed the shipments last July to prioritize support for Ukraine.
- Washington circumvented the Swiss government's payment freeze by dipping into funds intended for F-35A fighter jets, a manoeuvre Urs Loher, head of the Swiss armaments department, confirmed.
- Liquidity concerns could jeopardize not only the Patriot acquisition but "the entire Swiss portfolio within the framework of the programme," the defence ministry warned Wednesday.
- A recommendation on the Patriot acquisition will be submitted to the government "by the end of June, 2026," while Bern examines acquiring an additional long-range surface-to-air missile system from Europe.
12 Articles
12 Articles
For the first time, Federal Councillor Martin Pfister refers to the possibility of abandoning US ground-to-air defence systems: delays in delivery, increasing uncertainties and tensions with Washington.And if Switzerland were to give up acquiring the five US soil-to-air defence systems Patriot, whose delivery has been delayed for at least four or five years? The question is no longer taboo in Bern. "We are still assuming that we will receive the…
Due to the delayed delivery of the Patriot anti-aircraft system, the VBS does not want to transfer money to the USA until these binding information on delivery dates and costs has been provided.
InsideNoVA.com
Swiss government eyes dropping purchase of US Patriot air defence system
The Swiss government is considering dropping the agreed purchase of the Patriot air-defence system from the United States amid severe delivery delays, Defence Minister Martin Pfister said Wednesday.
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Switzerland has announced it will continue to delay payments to the United States due to uncertainties and a lack of a clear timeline for deliveries of US-made Patriot air defense systems.
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