Rheinmetall To Upgrade Swiss Air Defense Systems

Rheinmetall will upgrade the fire control units and guns of the 35mm medium-calibre Oerlikon Skyguard air defence system of the Swiss armed forces.

The contract also includes an overhaul of the associated command and control systems in the operations centre as well as additional spare parts. Recently booked, the order is worth a seven-figure euro amount, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

By boosting the system’s operational effectiveness, these measures will extend its service life until at least 2025. Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is responsible for the work to extend the system’s service life.

The Swiss air force’s ground-based short-range air defence systems include the lightweight Stinger guided missile, the mobile Rapier surface-to-air missile and the 35mm medium-calibre Oerlikon Skyguard. These systems are used for defending assets and infrastructure from aerial attack.

All three would have reached the end of their service life during the next few years. In order to avoid a capabilities gap prior to introduction of a successor system for short-range air defence of ground assets, the 35mm medium-calibre air defence system will undergo a major service life extension programme.