Decentralization: Swiss army stops selling bunkers

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The Swiss army has stopped selling bunkers. In response to the war in Ukraine, the army is increasingly decentralizing, as army chief Thomas Süssli (56) says in an interview with Tamedia.

For example, the air force will train to operate improvised locations, Süssli said in the interview published Monday.

The Army is currently reviewing the catalog of command and combat facilities. This also includes bunkers whose location is already known. “We have to take what we have,” Süssli said. Already known facilities would also be of military use if there were many facilities in a particular region. The army should not be put out of action with a few bombings, the interview showed.

The army announced in August that it was increasingly focusing on defense. In the aftermath of the war in Ukraine, the country has increased its own protection. “We must always protect our accommodation and camps first before we can protect others,” Süssli said. It also strengthened counterintelligence. Further measures would impact supplies and infrastructure. He did not want to provide details. When asked specifically about ammunition supplies, Süssli kept a low profile.

The ammunition division of the defense company Ruag has been owned by the Italian weapons and binoculars manufacturer Beretta for about a year. “It would be good if Switzerland had a certain degree of autonomy when it comes to ammunition,” Süssli said.

The sale of the ammunition division was a political decision. According to the army chief, even a Swiss company would have problems producing ammunition in the event of a crisis. “That’s why we have more stock,” he says. As an example, Süssli mentioned spare parts for the F-35 fighter jet.

According to Süssli, the army also ensures cooperation with other armed forces. In an emergency, this would not work immediately. The Swiss contribution in Kosovo should not be underestimated for NATO members.

There have been no concrete decisions yet about the extent to which Switzerland will take on additional tasks there. “Switzerland could be involved in the field of cyber or ABC, i.e. nuclear-biological-chemical defense,” Süssli said. During the summer session, Parliament extended Switzerland’s commitment in Kosovo until 2026. (SDA)

Source:Blick