The long lasting pursuit of air defence missile system and fighters in Switzerland proceeded to a new phase. Switzerland, known for its neutrality and surrounded by EU countries, will allocate an $8 billion budget for air defence under the program “Air 2030”.

Guy Parmelin, president of the Swiss Defence and Civil Protection Department said the companies that could bid for new in-terrain aircraft were Eurofighter from Airbus, Dassault Rafale from France, Saab Gripen from Sweden, Boeing F / A-18 Super Hornet from the USA and Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft. The Swiss will replace its F-18 and F-5 planes with one of the abovementioned aircraft.

In the air defence missile system program of Switzerland, ground-to-air systems are coming forward. It is expected that the French/Italian Eurosam consortium-product SAMP/T, David's Sling from Israel and US Raytheon's Patriot PAC 3 systems are to compete.

According to the Air 2030 plan, the Swiss authorities want to protect an area of 15,000 square kilometers which is more than one-third of the country.

Commenting on Defense News, the Swiss Defence Ministry spokesman Renato Kalbermatten said plans are underway to get the proposals this summer. The ministry wants to see the proposals of all potential suppliers before taking this purchasing program to referendum in the first half of 2020.