Washington informed Switzerland that the delivery of missile defense systems would be delayed due to the war in Iran. Bern is now exploring offers from other suppliers, preferably European ones.
Switzerland announced on Wednesday that it would consider the possibility of purchasing air defense systems from sources other than the United States, who notified them of a new delay in the delivery of Patriot surface-to-air missiles due to the war in Iran. Switzerland ordered five Patriot missile defense systems in 2022, with an initial delivery scheduled between 2026 and 2028, a timeline that has already been delayed by four to five years due to the war in Ukraine.
The government stated in a press release that it was informed by Washington that the war in Iran, which is using American arsenals, would cause additional delays and an increase in costs, with a further delay of five to seven years now anticipated.
“All options would result in delivery delays as well as substantial additional costs,” he explained.
Switzerland expects responses from five other long-range air defense system suppliers by the end of the month, according to the government. The suppliers have not been identified, but it is specified that they operate in Germany, France, Israel, and South Korea.
Additional costs
The government also expressed a preference for these weapons to be produced in Europe. The Federal Council is expected to make decisions on the next steps in the coming months, the press release added.
The Swiss government had stated in April that canceling the purchase of the Patriots was an option. The price of the five Patriot systems could double, increasing from 2.3 billion Swiss francs (2.51 billion euros) to 4.6 billion Swiss francs, as reported by the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, citing well-informed sources.
The Swiss procurement agency “armasuisse” and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters reported last month that the United States had informed their European counterparts of likely delays in approved weapons deliveries, as the war in Iran required tapping into existing weapon stocks.
