After the British gave up: VBS demolished old defense missiles

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Now it’s certain. The Department of Defense (VBS) has scrapped all 60 Rapier anti-aircraft systems. Finally. The Central Federal Councilor Viola Amherd (60) made this clear to the National Council on Monday.

For a short time there was confusion about the defensive weapon. A first tranche had already been dismantled when the British made contact. They inquired about the state of the systems. A British detachment had traveled to Switzerland to inspect the weapons.

A parliamentary decision would not be necessary

The DDPS therefore ordered the march to stop. The drain was stopped. The question was whether the British wanted to buy back the weapons. Switzerland had purchased the Rapier systems from Britain in the 1980s. With the missiles now obsolete, the federal government decommissioned them in late 2022 and began scrapping them.

But: the British seemed to be considering a buyback. Not for your own army, but to pass on to countries in Eastern Europe, such as Poland or the Baltic states. They supply large quantities of weapons to Ukraine – with the Rapier systems they could have filled gaps in their own air defense systems.

Even a transfer to Ukraine would be an option. In fact, according to a decision of the Federal Council in 2006, resale to the British manufacturer would be possible – even without the condition that the weapons may not be passed on. A parliamentary decision is not necessary.

British could not train on weapons at all

But it won’t come to that. The British refrained from a takeover. As heard by the DDPS, the Rapier system has been out of service in Britain for several years. The British army would no longer have the personnel to train Ukrainian soldiers in the weapons system. The Swiss army has also stopped training recruits on it since 2019.

This will now also dismantle and dispose of the remaining Rapier anti-aircraft systems. Finally. As planned, Amherd emphasized. (dba)

Source:Blick