• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

GBAD MR: National Armaments Director signs programme agreement as part of European Sky Shield Initiative with the German Federal Ministry of Defence

Swiss Government

Press release
Published on 3 July 2025

Bern, 03.07.2025 -- The National Armaments Director, Urs Loher, and the German National Armaments Director, Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki, have signed the programme agreement as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) for the cooperative procurement of IRIS-T SLM systems of medium-range ground-based air defence (GBAD MR) from the German manufacturer Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG. The programme agreement which the Federal Council approved on 20 June 2025 is a requirement for a procurement contract on the GBAD MR systems. Switzerland can benefit from economies of scale and an improved interoperability of the systems through this joint procurement.

The ground-based air defence (GBAD) will contribute to the impact of maintaining air sovereignty and air defence as well as protecting against attacks with long-range weapons. As part of Integrated Air Defence (IAD), the GBAD will combat threats at various different distances and heights. The system for medium-range ground-based air defence (GBAD MR) increases the effect in the lower, medium and in some cases upper airspace at medium distances. The goal is to increase the freedom of action in integrated air defence and to regain the capability for geospatial cruise missile defence.

A guarantee credit of 660 million Francs was approved for GBAD MR in the 2024 armament programme.

The Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse is intending to procure five IRIS-T SLM systems for GBAD MR. The negotiations with the manufacturer are largely completed. The contract is expected to be signed in summer 2025.

Programme agreement on the cooperative procurement of medium-range ground-based air defence systems

The decision to procure IRIS-T SLM systems for medium-range ground-based air defence as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) also corresponds with the goals of the Federal Council's Armament Policy Strategy. The closer cooperation in the area of ground-based air defence with neighbouring and partner nations thus also increases Switzerland's scope of action. Participating countries will be able to benefit from economies of scale based on the joint procurement via ESSI. Moreover, the interoperability between the partner nations will be improved through a cooperative procurement.

The conclusion of the programme agreement and the procurement of GBAD MR systems through the German Federal Ministry of Defence are compatible with Switzerland's obligations in terms of neutrality law. There is no obligation to integrate own systems in the air or missile defence systems of Germany or of NATO. Switzerland is at liberty to operate and deploy the systems autonomously and independently.

European Sky Shield Initiative ESSI

The ESSI is an Initiative launched by Germany in 2022 with the intention of strengthening air defence in Europe and better pooling combined efforts. Switzerland joined the Initiative in October 2024.

The purpose of the ESSI is to better coordinate and combine procurement projects for air defence in Europe in order to utilise economies of scale in the procurement of systems and to improve the interoperability between the partner countries. The Initiative also enables cooperations in training, in system maintenance and in logistics.

Project "GBAD MR"

The project "GBAD MR" is a procurement project for renewing important anti-aircraft systems of the Swiss Armed Forces. The renewal will close an existing gap in capability in the defence of stand-off weapons, to combat approaching targets at a medium distance and thus expand long-range ground-based air defence with the Patriot system. Systems currently in use will soon reach the end of their useful life. In addition, the existing type Stinger and medium anti-aircraft (med AAA) systems only have very short ranges - modern combat aircraft deploy their weapons from greater heights and distances.