Swiss law prohibits the supply of military equipment and materials to countries involved in armed conflicts
Why is Germany bothering to buy anything from Switzerland? What the hell is the point of arms if you cannot use them in defense of friends?
Now, there is a chance Germany is only talking about this as it would free up other stock to send Ukraine. But, this is a poor choice otherwise.
For example, Germany, the largest buyer of Swiss weapons, excluded Swiss companies from some procurement agreements, while Denmark and the Netherlands suspended orders.
This goes along with a Perun video on the subject. In which Swiss weapons exports cratered since 2022, despite massive increases in demand for the very arms they sell.
Here is the issue. Let’s say Germany buys for their own forces and only for their own forces, no other goals. Fair enough, the sale won’t be blocked. But, the industrial capacity for these arms is now built up in Switzerland, not in Germany, not in France.
Sometime in the future these arms you bought for your own forces are needed in a war you yourself are in. An unfortunate situation, but sometimes war is forced upon a country by others. What happens when you go to Switzerland to regenerate your arms for this unfortunate conflict you find yourself in?
Switzerland replies, “Swiss law prohibits the supply of military equipment and materials to countries involved in armed conflicts”. And now, all this industrial capacity you funded for your own armed forces is unavailable to you in a war you yourself are in. You have no way to regenerate your arms. You are, as one might say, fucked.
Leopard1 is a German tank although an old one. So maintaing them is entirly possible for Germany. The idea is probably to trade them for some other tanks, which can be send to Ukraine. The Leopard2 line is at capacity for the next couple years and there is no other tank being activly produced in the EU right now. The only other option is the K2 production in Poland, but that is a South Korean tank design and they do not want their weapons in Ukraine either. Lots of Europeans have asked. The Leclerc production line is still around, but currently closed.
Why is Germany bothering to buy anything from Switzerland? What the hell is the point of arms if you cannot use them in defense of friends?
Now, there is a chance Germany is only talking about this as it would free up other stock to send Ukraine. But, this is a poor choice otherwise.
This goes along with a Perun video on the subject. In which Swiss weapons exports cratered since 2022, despite massive increases in demand for the very arms they sell.
Buying in preparation for your normal defense forces is different than buying for a currently active armed conflict.
Switzerland insists on trying to remain neutral in conflicts, this is part of that.
Here is the issue. Let’s say Germany buys for their own forces and only for their own forces, no other goals. Fair enough, the sale won’t be blocked. But, the industrial capacity for these arms is now built up in Switzerland, not in Germany, not in France.
Sometime in the future these arms you bought for your own forces are needed in a war you yourself are in. An unfortunate situation, but sometimes war is forced upon a country by others. What happens when you go to Switzerland to regenerate your arms for this unfortunate conflict you find yourself in?
Switzerland replies, “Swiss law prohibits the supply of military equipment and materials to countries involved in armed conflicts”. And now, all this industrial capacity you funded for your own armed forces is unavailable to you in a war you yourself are in. You have no way to regenerate your arms. You are, as one might say, fucked.
Leopard1 is a German tank although an old one. So maintaing them is entirly possible for Germany. The idea is probably to trade them for some other tanks, which can be send to Ukraine. The Leopard2 line is at capacity for the next couple years and there is no other tank being activly produced in the EU right now. The only other option is the K2 production in Poland, but that is a South Korean tank design and they do not want their weapons in Ukraine either. Lots of Europeans have asked. The Leclerc production line is still around, but currently closed.
The Germans were pretty happy to keep buying from the Swiss about eighty years ago. So, old habits?