Funding renewed for airspace protection – Federal Council makes strategic decisions
Bern, 8.11.2017 - At its meeting on 8 November, the Federal Council made several fundamental decisions on the funding of Swiss airspace protection. It was decided that Switzerland will spend up to CHF 8 billion to purchase new combat aircraft and a new ground-based air defence system. In order to make this and other investments possible, starting in 2021 the armed forces budget will be increased by 1.4 per cent per year. The Federal Council has instructed the DDPS to submit several proposal options by February 2018. The approaches that are being considered include formulating a planning decision, revising the Armed Forces Act, or following the most commonly-used approach, which is the armed forces dispatch.