{"id":27076,"date":"2019-05-09T20:34:26","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T20:34:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/05\/09\/swiss-air2030-program-clears-hurdle-of-external-review-with-tweaks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:21:17","slug":"swiss-air2030-program-clears-hurdle-of-external-review-with-tweaks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/europe\/2019\/05\/09\/swiss-air2030-program-clears-hurdle-of-external-review-with-tweaks\/","title":{"rendered":"Swiss Air 2030 program clears hurdle of external review \u2014 with tweaks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COLOGNE, Germany \u2014 Switzerland should package the proposed buy of 40 or so combat aircraft as a unique track under the $8 billion Air 2030 program, according to a new study commissioned by the defense ministry. This, the study argues, will increase the chance the purchase will be approved in an eventual national referendum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conclusion is part of a report by former Swiss astronaut Claude Nicollier, who was tasked earlier this year by the new defense minister, Viola Amherd, to critique the envisioned air-defense reboot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recommendation speaks to the government\u2019s strategy of seeing the aircraft acquisition through a circuitous decision-making process in a country with a strong plebiscitary tradition. Buying the aircraft makes up the lion\u2019s share of the Air 2030 program, at roughly $6 billion. The purchase of ground-based, air-defense weaponry accounts for the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current Cabinet plan is to pursue the aircraft and ground-based, anti-missile weaponry as a package deal, allowing the populace to vote on both segments en bloc in the likely event that a referendum is called. But advocates for new aircraft, which includes Nicollier, contend that the need for new planes is so great that the decision should be teed up without any distractions whatsoever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my opinion, it is wise to choose this track for the combat aircraft, after the past experiences of our direct democracy,\u201d Nicollier wrote in his report. \u201cIt is … useless to mix another weapon system to this next battle, which concerns only the plane and which promises, as usual, to be much more emotional than professional.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t