Switzerland shortlists SAMP/T, Barak MX for long-range air defense

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People look at a French SAMP/T antimissile system during Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on July 14, 2023. (Photo by Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)

PARIS — Switzerland narrowed down the choice of the country’s second future long-range air defense system to either Israel’s Barak MX system or the French-Italian SAMP/T NG, while also sticking to plans to buy the United States’ Patriot air-defense system.

The federal government asked the defense department to continue evaluating the Barak MX developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and the SAMP/T NG from the Eurosam joint venture between MBDA and Thales, it said on Wednesday . In addition to technical, military and weapon-related aspects, the choice takes into account foreign-policy and economic-policy considerations, the federal council said.

Switzerland said in May it would evaluate long-range air-defense systems from manufacturers in Germany, France, Israel and South Korea, with a preference for a system produced in Europe, after delivery of the Patriot system was delayed by several years.

“The Federal Council considers it necessary to strengthen the country’s air defense to address the deteriorating geopolitical situation,” the government said. “Long-range ground-to-air defense systems are indispensable for this purpose, with an adequate supply of ammunition.”

The long-range systems, combined with short-range and medium-range systems as well as fighter aircraft, will allow Switzerland to counter attacks from a distance, including ballistic missiles, the government said.

“It is important that Switzerland can quickly equip itself, in addition to the Patriot, with a second system that meets its needs in light of the threat, allows to expand the protected area, and reduces dependence on a single supplier or a single supply chain,” the council said.

The council said it considered bids from four manufacturers in France, Israel and South Korea.

While the U.S. is prioritizing Patriot delivery to countries that have supplied their own systems to Ukraine, abandoning the Patriot purchase without a replacement system is not an option in the current situation, according to the government. It said discussions with the U.S. on delivery of Patriot systems are continuing.

Parliament is scheduled to review a government proposal for an additional 24 billion Swiss francs (US$30 billion) in defense and security spending during its winter session, including 6 billion francs to finance the second long-range air-defense system and a portion of the additional costs for Patriot, the federal council said.

Once the evaluations are complete and parliament has decided on funding for the armed forces, which is expected in early 2027, the council will decide on additional appropriation for the Patriot system and the next steps for the second long-range air-defense system, it said.

Switzerland previously agreed to buy Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T SLM system for medium-range air defense and the Oerlikon Skynex short-range system from Rheinmetall.

Rudy Ruitenberg is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. He started his career at Bloomberg News and has experience reporting on technology, commodity markets and politics.

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2023年7月14日，在巴黎举行的巴士底日庆祝活动中，人们正在观看法国的SAMP/T反导系统。（图片来源：Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images）

巴黎——瑞士将该国第二套未来远程防空系统的选择范围缩小到以色列的巴拉克MX系统或法国-意大利的SAMP/T NG系统，同时坚持购买美国的爱国者防空系统的计划。

联邦政府周三表示，已要求国防部继续评估以色列航空航天工业公司（IAI）开发的巴拉克MX导弹和MBDA与泰雷兹公司合资企业Eurosam公司开发的SAMP/T NG导弹。联邦委员会称，除了技术、军事和武器相关因素外，选择还需考虑外交政策和经济政策因素。

瑞士在 5 月份表示，将评估来自德国、法国、以色列和韩国制造商的远程防空系统，并优先考虑欧洲生产的系统，此前爱国者系统的交付被推迟了数年。

政府表示：“联邦委员会认为，为应对日益恶化的地缘政治局势，有必要加强国家防空能力。为此，远程地对空防御系统必不可少，并且需要充足的弹药供应。”

瑞士政府表示，远程防御系统与短程和中程防御系统以及战斗机相结合，将使瑞士能够应对来自远处的攻击，包括弹道导弹。

“鉴于当前威胁，瑞士必须尽快为自身配备第二套系统，除了‘爱国者’导弹系统外，还要满足自身需求，扩大保护区，并减少对单一供应商或单一供应链的依赖，”该委员会表示。

该委员会表示，他们考虑了来自法国、以色列和韩国四家制造商的投标。

尽管美国优先向已向乌克兰提供“爱国者”导弹防御系统的国家交付该系统，但乌克兰政府表示，在当前形势下，放弃采购“爱国者”导弹系统而不寻找替代系统是不可行的。乌克兰政府还表示，与美国就“爱国者”导弹系统的交付问题仍在继续磋商。

联邦委员会表示，议会计划在冬季会议期间审查政府提出的追加 240 亿瑞士法郎（300 亿美元）国防和安全支出的提案，其中包括 60 亿瑞士法郎用于资助第二个远程防空系统以及“爱国者”导弹系统的部分额外费用。

声明称，一旦评估完成，议会决定为武装部队提供资金（预计将在 2027 年初），安理会将决定为“爱国者”系统追加拨款，以及第二个远程防空系统的下一步计划。

瑞士此前已同意从迪尔防务公司购买 IRIS-T SLM 中程防空系统，并从莱茵金属公司购买厄利孔 Skynex 短程防空系统。

鲁迪·鲁伊滕贝格是《防务新闻》的欧洲记者。他的职业生涯始于彭博新闻社，拥有报道科技、大宗商品市场和政治方面的经验。