Switzerland is considering purchasing kamikaze drones to boost the lethality of its armed forces, according to Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli.
In an interview with local news outlet CH-Media, Süssli revealed that suicide drones are being considered to partially replace the country’s aging artillery systems.
The move is part of Bern’s ongoing military modernization effort, which includes adding more weapons and air defense systems.
“We want to completely renew a third of the army by the end of the decade – two tank battalions and six infantry battalions,” Süssli told the outlet.
Apart from kamikaze drones, Switzerland is looking into high-powered rocket artillery systems.
Fueled by Ukraine War
Over the past few years, calls have been made for the Swiss military to boost its arsenal and be prepared for future war.
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted the government to request an increase in the defense budget from 600 million Swiss francs ($646 million) to 21.7 billion Swiss francs ($23.4 billion) over the next four years.
In addition, Bern approved the creation of a cyber command center to overhaul the country’s cyber defense.