Armasuisse spokesman Kaj-Gunnar Sievert told Schweizer Radio SRF on Friday that the project would be completed by the end of 2024. Then the system is fully operational. Due to the project delay, contractual penalties would be due. He has not provided any information about the amount of the contractual fines. Additional services were also agreed with the manufacturer as part of the contract negotiations.
According to Radio SRF, the costs for the six ordered drones are now estimated at 300 million francs. In June there was still talk of CHF 250 million. Armasuisse justifies the additional costs with exchange rate fluctuations.
In the summer of 2022, one of these new army reconnaissance drones successfully completed its Swiss maiden flight in Emmen. At the time, it was said that two reconnaissance drones would be handed over to the Air Force after extensive testing by the end of the year, and that the military would have six of these reconnaissance drone systems in place by the end of 2023.
Switzerland has had no reconnaissance drones since 2019. The old Ranger aircraft were retired after 20 years. Originally, the new system should have been introduced step by step from 2019. One of the reasons for the delays was that in August 2020, an army drone bound for Switzerland crashed.
In addition to military use, the drones can also be used by civil authorities – for example by cantonal directorates, police and rescue services or the border guard.
(SDA)