Switzerland is actively evaluating air defence systems from Germany, France, Israel and South Korea after the country’s planned acquisition of the US Patriot missile system fell years behind schedule, the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport confirmed.
In view of the tense geopolitical situation and the increasing threat from ranged weapons, the Federal Council wants to specifically strengthen air defence.
The Federal Office for Defence Procurement, armasuisse, said it had received the last batch of technical and commercial information from manufacturers in all four countries on 29 May, in response to a formal Request for Information. That material is now being assessed from military, technical and commercial perspectives, and the Federal Council is expected to decide on next steps during the summer.
Why Switzerland Is Looking Elsewhere
The trigger for the expanded search is a delay of several years in the delivery of the US Patriot system, which Switzerland ordered to address the growing threat posed by long-range weapons in an increasingly unstable European security environment. The Federal Council had already flagged the delay in a meeting on 6 March 2026, when it instructed the defence department to examine whether an additional system (preferably made in Europe) should be procured alongside or instead of Patriot.
The preference for a European solution is explicit and deliberate.
Bern is specifically seeking a system either developed in Europe or, if sourced from outside Europe, manufactured there under licence. The rationale is to reduce dependence on any single supply chain or state, a concern that has become acute across the continent since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
However, the main assembly of the first F-35A destined for Switzerland has begun in Lockheed Martin’s Marietta, Georgia (USA), marking another important step towards the delivery of the first aircraft from mid-2027 as part of the Swiss F-35 program.
Le premier #F35A suisse atteint une étape importante de production : L’assemblage principal du premier F-35A destiné à la Suisse a débuté aux États-Unis. ➡️ https://t.co/ogrmUZrQL6
— VBS – DDPS (@vbs_ddps) May 28, 2026
European Air Defence: Four Systems In The Frame
The manufacturers contacted are spread across four countries. Germany’s Diehl Defence is offering the IRIS-T SLX system—a logical option given that Switzerland already acquired five medium-range IRIS-T SLM systems in 2025 under the European Sky Shield Initiative.
France is represented through the SAMP/T NG system developed by the Eurosam consortium (MBDA France and Thales).
Israel’s Rafael is a strong contender with its combat-proven David’s Sling, while South Korea has also been approached with systems like the L-SAM or KM-SAM II. Whether any of these non-European options would satisfy Switzerland’s preference for European manufacture remains to be established during this emergency evaluation phase.
Bern Increases Investment In Air, Cyber And Ground Defence
Switzerland has historically kept its defence spending low and its military posture neutral, but the geopolitical upheaval of the past four years has pushed Bern to accelerate investment in air, cyber and ground defence capabilities. The Federal Council’s current defence spending targets, which envisage reaching 1% of GDP by 2030, are premised in part on getting long-range air defence into service as soon as possible.
