Long-term strategy presented for the first time: Here’s what Amherd plans to do with the military

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It’s missing in every nook and cranny. Nowadays, Switzerland can only maintain air defense for a month in the event of a threat, army chief Thomas Süssli (57) warned after the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Defense Minister Viola Amherd (61) also told the media on Wednesday that the army has been cut back over the past thirty years. Clearly it will take several years to correct this.

With the Army Message 2024, Amherd finally wants to turn the tide. For the first time, the planned strategic course of the army over a longer period of twelve years will be presented to the National Council and the Council of States. “It was important to me that Parliament had a say,” Amherd emphasized. «My goal is to strengthen defense capacity again. My dream is that we can do this as quickly as possible.”

The Libyan crisis serves as a scenario

To determine the necessary capabilities of the army, the Federal Council examined various threat scenarios. He has opted for an escalating dispute with another state. To advance his interests, he first applies economic pressure, launches cyber attacks or arbitrarily detains Swiss nationals. He later threatened to use armed drones or cruise missiles. The Libyan crisis from 2008 to 2010 serves as an example. It is the scenario in which the army must deploy as widely as possible. This means that the military must be able to do a little bit of everything.

To define what the army must be able to achieve in the coming years, ten capability areas have been defined: from air and ground combat intelligence gathering to cyber, logistics and medical services. The federal government sees itself on the right track when it comes to air defense, for example. Endurance would still be very limited and engaging targets on the ground would not be possible at this time. With the purchase of the American F-35 fighter jet and the new Patriot air defense system, things should look better from 2027 onwards.

There are many construction sites waiting

The Federal Council sees the greatest need for catching up in the cyber sector. Measures to protect information and telecommunications systems are necessary in advance. The military must improve the resilience of its own systems and defenses against cyber attacks on military or civilian infrastructure. A new data center is planned. And above all: data security is increased after multiple cyber attacks.

However, there is a need for action, especially among ground forces. Several weapon systems are approaching their expiration date. Due to technical problems, the M113 armored personnel carrier has already been temporarily taken out of service. And the M109 self-propelled howitzers will also be out of service in a few years. There are serious skills shortages. The army planned a new artillery system here in the 1930s. In addition, the Leopard tanks will be upgraded and new guided missiles will be purchased for the ground forces. The war in Ukraine has shown that these are among the most important means of defense.

To achieve all these objectives, the Federal Council is asking, as a first step, for a payment framework of almost 26 billion francs for the next four years. He wants to make 4.9 billion francs available over four years for army equipment and real estate, Defense Minister Amherd announced on Wednesday.

“Completely unrealistic threat scenarios”

The first reactions to Amherd’s plans remain cautious: for Stefan Holenstein (62), the army message is going in the right direction. “But it is no reason for euphoria, because the dramatic capacity shortages persist,” says the chairman of the Association of Military Associations (VMG).

FDP security politician Josef Dittli (66) thinks the long-term prospects are “all well and good. “Yet no one knows exactly what the army will look like and what it will cost,” says the Council of States. Will infantry battalions finally be assigned to combat troops? What does the air force look like? The army leadership and the Minister of Defense should achieve results.

SP security politician Fabian Molina (33) is even more critical: “Completely unrealistic threat scenarios” threaten to get the exercise out of hand. “This estate planning is going in the wrong direction and cannot be financed.”

Source:Blick