Contract with France: Amherd will soon have an overview

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Defense Minister Viola Amherd (61) takes another step towards the Western defense alliance NATO. France and Switzerland have just signed a framework agreement that will allow the federal government to obtain satellite images from the French reconnaissance satellite system CSO “Composante Spatiale Optique”.

Switzerland itself has no satellites in space. For that reason, until now it has depended on images and image data from commercial providers. Because: “High-resolution satellite imagery plays an increasingly important role in safeguarding Swiss security policy interests,” the military emphasizes.

Meets “very high performance requirements”

With the new agreement, Switzerland now has access to a modern reconnaissance satellite system “meeting very high performance requirements”. France deployed the first of a total of three CSO satellites in space in December 2018, and the last will follow in 2024. And these are not the only space plans in the VBS of Defense, the sharply increasing army budget should make it possible.

Switzerland is one of the few European countries that will benefit from France’s shared use offer. And the DDPS emphasizes that the bilateral cooperation with France to use the CSO system is designed to be compatible with Swiss neutrality.

Army wants further international cooperation

At the same time, however, the Federal Council makes it clear that the armed independence of Switzerland will probably, at least in part, be a thing of the past. The signing of the cooperation agreement strengthens the “traditionally important security cooperation” between France and Switzerland.

The cooperation is also an expression of the intention of the Federal Council to strengthen the security of Switzerland through international cooperation in view of the security situation in Europe. (dba)

Source:Blick