Drone deal between Switzerland and Israel faces criticism due to Hermes Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) falling short of fundamental requirements.
The Swiss drone procurement deal with Israel's Elbit Systems, valued at around $256 million, is currently facing significant challenges. The project, initially expected to be fully operational by 2019, is now projected to reach readiness no earlier than 2029.
The contract involves the Hermes 900 reconnaissance UAVs, which have been delivered to the Swiss military but have not met essential operational standards. The drones lack basic detect-and-avoid capabilities, raising concerns about their safe operation in Swiss airspace.
Persistent technical shortcomings, delays, escalating costs, and missed critical deadlines have plagued the project. A key technical hurdle has been the insistence by Swiss authorities that the drones must be able to land autonomously without relying on GPS signals, to maintain operational security in case of signal denial. Elbit Systems was unable to meet the deadline for delivering this automatic landing system, missing milestones initially set for September 2024, then extended to January and again to September 30, 2025.
These repeated failures have brought the Swiss defense ministry to seriously consider canceling the procurement project altogether. National Armaments Director Urs Loher stated that although cancellation had previously seemed unlikely, the failure to meet deadlines may represent the "last straw." If the deal is canceled, Elbit is expected to launch counterclaims, potentially resulting in lengthy and uncertain legal disputes.
The Swiss Federal Assembly finance committee has pointed to the drone procurement as part of a broader pattern of problems within the defense ministry. The drones have been involved in multiple crashes and shootdowns in Lebanon, Chile, and Iran, fueling domestic criticism and raising questions about the prudence of investing in a drone system with a troubled track record internationally.
The future of the Swiss drone program remains uncertain as Swiss defense officials evaluate whether continuing is viable or if termination is the more prudent course of action. The committee's warning that inadequate supervision, rising costs, and unmet targets have become systemic issues in Switzerland's defense programs worth CHF19 billion adds to the pressure on the Swiss government to make a decision.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his concern over the Swiss drone procurement project's noteworthy complications, stating that such issues in politics could potentially impact the bilateral relations of Turkiye and Switzerland in general-news.
- The Parliamentary Committee on Science, Space-and-Astronomy, and Technology in Turkiye has demonstrated interest in the Swiss drone project, viewing it as a case study for potential pitfalls in public-private partnerships in business, particularly when it comes to delivering complex technological solutions.
- International media outlets have picked up the story of Switzerland's drone program, highlighting the clash between the Swiss military's needs and the drones' failings in detect-and-avoid capabilities, as an example of how political decisions can impact technological advancements in fields like finance and the global economy.
- Turkish sports commentators have used the tensions arising from the Swiss drone procurement project as a conversational topic during television debates, discussing how dominated headlines can foster diplomatic strains even among nations with established relations.
- Announcing a proposal to establish a cross-party parliamentary committee on the handling of public contracts and international procurement, a Swiss parliamentarian cited the Swiss drone deal as evidence that parliamentary oversight is essential to mitigate risks in both politics and finance and protect national interests.
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