Politics · Switzerland · 2 days ago
Swiss Liberals call for army shift toward drones and shared air defence
Switzerland’s Green Liberal Party says advances in drones, artificial intelligence and robotics are changing how conflicts are fought.
Party lawmaker Matthias Jauslin says the Swiss army is not ready for the threats it faces today and may face in future.
The party wants more investment in intelligent systems and military skills, and says the army could be reduced from its current 147,017 personnel to 80,000.
It has proposed that Switzerland negotiate an air-defence alliance with Germany, France, Italy and Austria to protect airspace across the Alpine region.
The party also wants fighter jets, including F-35s, to be used in coordination across national borders rather than stopping at each country’s boundary.
Its proposal would require changes to existing air-policing agreements with neighbouring countries.
The Green Liberal Party of Switzerland is calling for a major shift in the country’s military, with more investment in drones, artificial intelligence and other advanced systems.
The party also wants Switzerland to negotiate a shared air-defense arrangement with Germany, France, Italy and Austria.
Its proposal would allow participating countries’ fighter jets to operate across national borders in coordination.
National councillor Matthias Jauslin argues that rapid changes in military technology have left the Swiss army poorly prepared for current and future threats.
He says the army’s size matters less than investment in intelligent systems and expertise.
- Who
- The Green Liberal Party of Switzerland, represented in the article by national councillor Matthias Jauslin.
- What
- The party wants a major shift towards advanced military systems and a shared airspace defense alliance with neighboring countries.
- When
- The article was published on 9 October 2026. The proposal’s date is not stated.
- Where
- Switzerland and the proposed shared airspace over the Alpine region, described as extending from Nice to Vienna.
- Why
- The party says drones, artificial intelligence and robotics are rapidly changing warfare and creating new threats, especially from the air.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
We need to build the army of tomorrow.
It makes no sense anymore to wait at the border with a halberd.
What we need are intelligent systems. We have to invest in machines and skills.
Western Europe is, in my view, totally unprepared.
The first targeted combat use of a drone took place.
Combat drones have had a major influence on conflicts, according to Jauslin.
Watson reported the Green Liberal Party’s call to reorient the Swiss army and negotiate an Alpine air-defense alliance.
- Swiss army personnel
- 147,017
- Possible army size
- Jauslin said it could be reduced to 80,000 personnel.
- Proposed alliance
- Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and Austria
- Proposed shared airspace
- From Nice to Vienna
- F-35 jets currently in Alpine countries
- 41: 40 in Italy and one in Germany
- Additional F-35 jets expected
- 139: 34 for Germany, 75 for Italy and 30 for Switzerland
Sources
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