VBS chaos is also the result of a security policy without a strategy
Switzerland without (operational) army? The chaos in the VBS is the result of strategic weaknesses
What does Switzerland want with its army? Auxiliary troops for civilian authorities or a combat organization to defend the country? The question is insufficiently answered. That is why there is also chaos in VBS. Who is responsible for this?
Infantry recruits are in Colombier (ne) tight.
Over 800 fighter tanks, 288 fighter jets, 4900 artillery systems, more than 600,000 active soldiers. These were the stocks of the army in 1990. Switzerland has no army, it is one. That was the motto of the Federal Council in the Cold War, when the world was still manageable, friend and enemy could be clearly distinguished.
We are far from this with regard to the latest negative headlines from the defense department: corruption from Ruag, army chief, secret service chief, Minister of Defense, IT breakdowns on the running meter, troops that are not equipped, fighter jets that do not fly, outdated systems everywhere. One wonders: Switzerland still has an operational army? The answer from the army chief Thomas Süssli: Yes, but only for a few days.
The geopolitical situation is much more dangerous than before, when you were harmed in the alpine reduction of the evil enemy. The United States is currently changing the site under Donald Trump and voting against the Freedom West in the UN Security Council together with North Korea and Russia. Who would ever have thought that? At the same time, the superpower of Europe leaves its defense policy fate, which from the perspective of the US taxpayers is understandable, but is a brutal turning point from a European perspective.
Also for our country: Switzerland has risen to be protected by NATO in an emergency since the end of the east-west confrontation in 1991. The army was gradually reduced. Autonomous state defense has long been an illusion that has shrunk to a negligible position in the federal budget.
With Putin's attack on Ukraine 2022, the wind turned. But the Federal Council continues to find it difficult to give the army an upgrade path with clear priorities.
What seems more important seems to be compliance with the debt brake and adhering to an orthodox neutrality of the 20th century.
While other European countries have long invested two or more percentages of their economic strength in defense, Switzerland is currently bobbing less than 1 percent.
The Federal Council (and Parliament) does not only upgrade, they also missed thinking about reforming the militia system and interpreting neutrality so that the army becomes fit for international cooperation. Because this is essential for a small state with limited funds in the age of the latest technology. But this cooperation still lacks it tremendously « because the militia formations with the professional associations of NATO can hardly keep up, » as the military historian Mauro Mantovani describes in his book « The Swiss army in the age of illusions, 1990 to 2023 ». Neutrality and militia principle are “mystically excessive” and, according to Mantovani, threaten to “become a security risk himself”.
So you upgrade a bit here, not least thanks to Viola Amherd, international cooperation, but ultimately there is a lot of patchwork, because the majorities are missing in parliament for basic reforms. The SVP fundamentally rejects cooperation with abroad, the left is the NATO suspect. Amherd was literally crushed by this holy Helvetian trinity – debt brake, neutrality and militia.
A gross mistake also goes to her cap: the one -sided alignment of the army to the USA. So there would have been good European alternatives to the F-35, which the VBS and Amherd knocked out. In Bern, people preferred to put the brotherhood of gun brotherhood with Uncle Sam. This now turns out to be more unknown to the Trump friend and enemy government than a clumping risk.
On the one hand financially: Because when and in what condition per US plane and defense rockets are delivered, it seems open. Switzerland probably has to retrofit the systems, as with F/A-18. According to insiders, it cannot be assumed that the United States will deliver the best and latest versions. On the other hand, technologically: The Swiss army is completely dependent on the US Airforce and the US navy. These can at any time switch access to cryptology, to the special radard data for the defense against ballistic and hyperschallrakets as well as for satellite communication. This only needs Donald Trump's bad mood.
