"Swiss Army" redirects here. For the multi-function pocket knife, see Swiss Army knife.

Military of Switzerland

Service branches Land Forces, Air Force
Leadership
General Vacant in peacetime
Minister of Defense Swiss Federal Councilor Ueli
Maurer
Chief of the Armed
Forces
Lt Gen Andr Blattmann
Manpower
Military age 19 years of age for male
compulsory military service; 18
years of age for voluntary male
and female military service;
Conscription 1934 years of age obligatorily
36 for subaltern officers, 52 for
staff officers and higher
Available for
military service
1,852,580 males, age 1649
(2009 est.),
1,807,667 females, age 1649
(2009 est.)
Fit for
military service
1,510,259 males, age 1649
(2009 est.),
1,475,993 females, age 1649
(2009 est.)
Reaching military
age annually
48,076 males (2009 est.),
44,049 females (2009 est.)
Active personnel 147,075 (2013)
[1]
(ranked 38th)
Reserve personnel 77,000
[2]

Expenditures
Budget CHF4.53 billion (~US$4.83
billionFY12)
[3]

Percent of GDP 0.76% (2012)
[4]

The Swiss Armed Forces (German: Schweizer Armee, French: Arme suisse, Italian: Esercito
svizzero, Romanisch: Armada svizra)operate on land, in the air, and in international waters. Under
the country's militia system, professional soldiers constitute about 5 percent
[citation needed]
of the military
and the the rest are conscripts or volunteers aged 19 to 34 (in some cases up to 50). Because of
Switzerland's long history of neutrality, the army does not take part in armed conflicts in other
countries, but it does participate ininternational peacekeeping missions.
The structure of the Swiss militia system stipulates that the soldiers keep their own personal
equipment, including all personally assigned weapons, at home (until 2007 this also included
ammunition
[5]
). Compulsory military service concerns all male Swiss citizens, with women serving
voluntarily. Males usually receive initial orders at the age of 18 for military conscription eligibility
screening. About two-thirds of young Swiss men are found suitable for service, while alternative
service exists for those found unsuitable.
[6]
Annually, approximately 20,000 persons are trained
in basic training for a duration from 18 to 21 weeks (increased from 15 weeks, in 2003).
The reform "Army XXI" was adopted by popular vote in 2003. It replaced the previous model "Army
95", reducing manpower from 400,000 to about 200,000 personnel, 120,000 receiving periodic
military training and 80,000 reservists who have completed their total military training requirements.
[7]

Contents
[hide]
1 History
2 Structure
3 High Command
4 Land Forces
o 4.1 The Formations of the Land Forces
5 Air Force
6 Intelligence gathering
7 Lakes flotilla
8 Conscription
9 Roles
10 Peacekeeping Overseas
11 Military and civil defence
12 Equipment
13 Small arms
o 13.1 Individual weapons
o 13.2 Crew served weapons
o 13.3 Other weapons
14 Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV)
15 Swiss Army tanks
16 Swiss Army light armored vehicles
17 See also
18 Notes and references
19 Bibliography
20 External links
History[edit]
Main article: Military history of Switzerland

The Battle of Sempach, 1386
The Swiss army originated from the cantonal troops of the Old Swiss Confederacy, called upon in
cases of external threats by the Tagsatzung or by the canton in distress. In the federal treaty of
1815, the Tagsatzung prescribed cantonal troops to put a contingent of 2% of the population of each
canton at the federation's disposition, amounting to a force of some 33,000 men. The cantonal
armies were converted into the federal army (Bundesheer) with the constitution of 1848. From this
time, it was illegal for the individual cantons to declare war or to sign capitulations or peace
agreements. Paragraph 13 explicitly prohibited the federation from sustaining a standing army, and
the cantons were allowed a maximum standing force of 300 each (not including the Landjger corps,
a kind of police force). Paragraph 18 declared the "obligation" of every Swiss citizen to serve in the
federal army if conscripted (Wehrpflicht), setting its size at 3% of the population plus a reserve of
one and one half that number, amounting to a total force of some 80,000.

A Swiss Army exercise in 1896, painting by Joseph Clemens Kaufmann
The first complete mobilization, under the command of Hans Herzog, was triggered by the Franco-
Prussian War in 1871. In 1875, the army was called in to crush a strike of workers at the Gotthard
tunnel. Four workers were killed and 13 were severely wounded.
Paragraph 19 of the revised constitution of 1874 extended the definition of the federal army to every
able-bodied male citizen, swelling the size of the army (at least in theory) from under 150,000 to
more than 700,000, with population growth during the 20th century rising further to some 1.5 million,
the second largest armed force per capita after the Israeli Defence Forces.
A major manoeuvre commanded in 1912 by Ulrich Wille, a reputed Germanophile, convinced visiting
European heads of state, in particular Kaiser Wilhelm II, of the efficacy and determination of Swiss
defences.
[8]
Wille was subsequently put in command of the second complete mobilization in 1914,
and Switzerland escaped invasion in the course of World War I. Wille also ordered the suppression
of the 1918 general strike (Landesstreik) with military force. Three workers were killed, and a rather
larger number of soldiers died of the Spanish flu during mobilization. In 1932, the army was called to
suppress an anti-fascist demonstration in Geneva. The troops shot dead 13 demonstrators,
wounding another 65. This incident long damaged the army's reputation, leading to persistent calls
for its abolition among left-wing politicians. In both the 1918 and the 1932 incidents, the troops
deployed were consciously selected from rural regions such as the Berner Oberland, fanning the
enmity between the traditionally conservative rural population and the urban working class. The third
complete mobilization of the army took place during World War II under the command of Henri
Guisan (see also Switzerland during the World Wars). The Patrouille des Glaciers race, created to
test the abilities of soldiers, was created during the war.

Veterans' traditional Cavalry squadron 2006 presenting the uniform of 1972
In the 1960s and 1970s, the armed forces were organised according to the "Armee 61" structure.
Since 1989, there have been several attempts to curb military activity or even abolish the armed
forces altogether. A notable referendum on the subject was held on 26 November 1989 and,
although defeated, did see a significant percentage of the voters in favour of such an
initiative.
[9]
However, a similar referendum, called for before, but held shortly after the September 11
attacks in 2001 in the US, was defeated by over 77% of voters.
[10]

In 1989, the status of the army as a national icon was shaken by a popular initiative aiming at its
complete dissolution (see: Group for a Switzerland without an Army) receiving 35.6% support. This
triggered a series of reforms and, in 1995, the number of troops was reduced to 400,000 ("Armee
95"). Article 58.1 of the 1999 constitution repeats that the army is "in principle" organized as a militia,
implicitly allowing a small number of professional soldiers. A second initiative aimed at the army's
dissolution in late 2001 received a mere 21.9% support.
[10]
Nevertheless, the army was shrunk again
in 2004, to 220,000 men ("Armee XXI"), including the reserves.
Structure[edit]
Further information: Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces

2nd Infantry +
10th Mountain
5th Infantry
7th Infantry +
11th Armored
9th Mountain
12th Mountain
1st Armored
Swiss Army brigades
Source:http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/vtg/de/home.html

Sion
Dbendorf
Alpnach
Locarno
Emmen
Payerne
Meiringen
Swiss Air Force airbases
The armed forces consist of 134,886 people on active duty (in Switzerland called Angehriger der
Armee, shortly AdA, engl.: Member of the Army), of which 4,230 are professionals, with the rest
being conscripts or volunteers.
[11]
Women, for whom military service is voluntary, numbered 1,050:
less than 1% of the total, but 25% of career soldiers.
[11]
Once decided to serve, they have the same
rights and duties as their male colleagues, and they can join all services, including combat units.
Recruits are generally instructed in their native language; however, the small number of Romansh-
speaking recruits are instructed in German.
In contrast to most other comparable armies, officer candidates are usually not career regulars: after
seven weeks of basic training, selected recruits are offered the possibility of a cadre function. Officer
candidate schools take place separately from NCOs training, but NCOs have the possibility of
becoming officers later on.
[12]
There are currently 17,506 officers and 22,650 NCOs in the Swiss
Armed Forces.
[11]
Those of higher rank serve for more time each year; an ordinary soldier may serve
365 days over 30 years, while a high-ranking officer may serve 2,000 before retiring. Each promotion
requires more time, which is known as "paying your grade". Companies subsidize military training by
continuing to pay their employees, who list their ranks and responsibilities on their rsums.
[13]


Structure of the Swiss Army XXI
High Command[edit]

Andr Blattmann, current (2009) chief of the Armed Forces
In peacetime, the armed forces are led by the Chief of the Armed Forces (Chef der Armee), who
reports to the head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports and to
the Swiss Federal Council as a whole. The current Chief of the Armed Forces is Lieutenant-
General (Korpskommandant)Andr Blattmann. Lt-Gen Blattmann replaced Lieutenant-General
(Korpskommandant) Roland Nef who resigned on 25 July 2008 following allegations ofsexual
harassment.
[14]

In times of crisis or war, the Federal Assembly elects a full General (OF-9) as Commander-in-
Chief of the Armed Forces (Oberbefehlshaber der Armee). The rank is distinct and particular, as it is
associated exclusively with wartime fighting or a national crisis due to wartime fighting among the
neighbours on the border.
[13]
In addition, in Switzerland the word General itself is distinct and
particular, as the subordinate appointments of general-officer status omit the word itself.
Throughout Swiss history, there have only been 4 officers formally designated as General:
[13]

Henri Dufour (18471848) - Sonderbund War; and 1856
57, Neuchtel Crisis
Hans Herzog (18711872) - Franco-Prussian War
Ulrich Wille (19141918) - World War I
Henri Guisan (19391945) - World War II
In Switzerland, the word General is reserved for the wartime, or emergency, Commander-in-Chief,
so the subordinate officers who would have had the title of 'general' in other armies have alternative
designations to describe the appointment:
OF-8: Korpskommandant or Commandant de corps
OF-7: Divisionr or Divisionnaire
OF-6; Brigadier
[13]

The distinctive feature of their rank insignia are traditionally stylized edelweiss rank-insignia. One
exception, however, is that when Swiss officers are involved in peacekeeping missions abroad, they
are often given temporary ranks that do not exist in the Swiss Army, to give them rank-styles readily
understood by foreign officers. For example, the head of the Swiss delegation at the NNSC
in Korea (see below) had a rank of major general.
Land Forces[edit]

This section
requires expansion.(November 2009)
Under "Armee 61" the land forces were organised into Field Army Corps 1, 2, and 4, and Mountain
Army Corps 3. This structure was superseded by the "Armee 95" and thereafter the "Armee XXI"
structures.
Since the Army XXI reform in 2004, the basic structure of the Land Forces has been reorganised in
the following units: infantry brigades (2 and 5); mountain infantry brigades (9 and
12);armoured brigades (1 and 11).
[11]
Additionally two large reserve brigades (Infantry Brigade 7 and
Mountain Brigade 10) exist. Four territorial regions link the Land Forces with the cantons by
coordinating territorial tasks inside of their sector and are immediately responsible for the security of
their regions, depending only on the decisions of the Federal Council.
[15]

The Territorial Regions have their headquarters located as follows: Territorial Region
1, Morges (Vaud), Territorial Region 2, Kriens, Territorial Region 3 (Altdorf), and Territorial Region 4
(St. Gallen). According to Commons, Territoral Region 3 includes Emergency Aid Battalion 3 ('Bat
acc 3'?), and Engineer Battalions 9, 12, and 24.

Grenadier carrying a Stgw 90

Infantry squad and Mowag Piranha during presentation

Swiss soldier in combat uniform during house search demonstration 2006 in Thun

Leopard 87 main battle tank

Mowag Eagle Swiss army reconnaissance vehicle
The Formations of the Land Forces[edit]
The Swiss Land Forces are organised into the following all-arms brigades:
The Armoured Brigades
Armoured Brigade 1 (see la brigade blinde 1)
Command Support Battalion 1 (Bataillon d'aide au
commandement 1)
Reconnaissance Battalion 1 (Bataillon d'exploration 1)
Armoured Battalion 12 (Bataillon de chars 12)
Armoured Battalion 17 (Bataillon de chars 17)
Armoured Battalion 18 (Bataillon de chars 18)
Infantry Battalion 16
Artillery Battalion 1
Armoured Engineer Battalion 1
Armoured Brigade 11 (see de:Panzerbrigade 11)
Command Support Battalion 11
Reconnaissance battalion 11
Armoured Battalion 13
Armoured Battalion 14
Mechanized Infantry battalion 29
Infantry Battalion 61
Artillery Battalion 16
Armoured Engineer Battalion 11
During 2010, the armoured and mechanized infantry battalions were restructured as Combined Arms
Battalions; as from 1 January 2011, each had a Staff Company, a Logistics Company, two Tank
Companies and two Mechanized Infantry Companies equipped with infantry fighting vehicles.
The Infantry Brigades
Infantry Brigade 2 (Brigade d'infanterie 2)
[16]
(HQ Saint-Maurice,
Switzerland)
Command Support Battalion 2 (Bataillon d'aide au
commandement 2)
Reconnaissance Battalion 2 (Bataillon d'exploration 2)
Rifle battalion 1 (Bataillon de Carabiniers 1)
Infantry Battalion 13 (Infanteriebataillon 13)
Rifle battalion 14 (Bataillon de Carabiniers 14)
Infantry Battalion 19 (Bataillon d'infanterie 19)
Artillery Battalion 54 (Artillerie Abteilung 54)
Infantry Brigade 5
[17]

Command Support Battalion 5
Reconnaissance Battalion 5
Infantry battalion 11
Infantry Battalion 20
Infantry Battalion 56
Infantry Battalion 97
Artillery Battalion 10
The Mountain Infantry Brigades
Mountain Infantry Brigade 9 (Brigata fanteria montagna 9)
[18]

Command Support Battalion 9 (Battaglione aiuto condotta 9)
Mountain Infantry battalion 7 (Bataillon d'infanterie de montagne
7)
Mountain Infantry Battalion 17 (Gebirgsinfanteriebataillon 17)
Mountain Infantry Battalion 29 (Gebirgsinfanteriebataillon 29)
Mountain Infantry Battalion 30 (Battaglione fanteria montagna
30)
Mountain Infantry Battalion 48 (Gebirgsinfanteriebataillon 48)
Artillery Battalion 49 (Gruppo artiglieria 49)
Mountain Infantry Brigade 12
[19]

Command Support Battalion 12
Mountain Rifle battalion 6 (Gebirgsschtzenbataillon 6)
Infantry Battalion 65
Infantry Battalion 70
Mountain Infantry Battalion 77
Mountain Infantry Battalion 85
Fortress Artillery Battalion 13
The Reserve Brigades
Infantry Brigade 7
[20]

Command Support Battalion 7
ISTAR Reconnaissance Battalion 7
Reconnaissance Battalion 9
Reconnaissance Battalion 12
Mechanized Infantry Battalion 8
Mechanized Infantry Battalion 28
Infantry Battalion 54
Infantry Battalion 60
Mountain Infantry Battalion 72
Infantry Battalion 73
Mountain Infantry Battalion 91
Artillery Battalion 47
Mountain Brigade 10
[21]
(HQ Saint-Maurice, Switzerland)
Command Support Battalion 10 (Bataillon d'aide au
commandement 10)
Reconnaissance battalion 4
Reconnaissance Battalion 10 (Bataillon d'exploration 10)
Armoured Battalion 15 (Bataillon de chars 15)
Mechanized Infantry battalion 20
Rifle Battalion 5 (Schtzenbataillon 5)
Mountain Infantry Battalion 8 (Bataillon d'infanterie de
montagne 8)
Mountain Infantry Battalion 10 (Bataillon d'infanterie de
montagne 10)
Infantry Battalion 24 (Bataillon d'infanterie 24)
Infantry Battalion 36
Artillery Battalion 32
Artillery Battalion 41
Air Force[edit]
Main articles: Swiss Air Force and History of the Swiss Air Force

Cougar Helicopter firing decoy flares

F/A-18C over Swiss Alps
The Swiss Air Force has been traditionally a militia-based service, including its pilots, with an
inventory of approximately 456 aircraft whose lengthy service lives (many for more than 30 years)
overlapped several eras. However, beginning with its separation from the Army in 1996, the Air
Force has been downsizing; it now has a strength of approximately 270 fixed- and rotary-wing
aircraft, and is moving towards a smaller, more professional force.
The primary front-line air-defence fleet consists of 32 F-18 Hornets (34 aircraft were originally
purchased, with two aircraft lost in crashes) organized into three squadrons (11, 17 and 18) along
with 54 F-5 Tiger IIs (110 originally purchased). In October 2008, the Swiss Hornet fleet reached the
50,000 flight hour milestone.
[22]

A report in the Swiss news magazine FACTS reveals that the Swiss Air Force provides ready-to-
takeoff aircraft only during office hours on working days. The air force staff declared that, due to
financial limits, they are not operational all the time.
[23]
The difficulty of defending Swiss airspace is
illustrated by the mountainous character and the small size of the country; the maximum extension
of Switzerland is 348 km, a distance that can be flown in a little over 20 minutes by commercial
aircraft. Furthermore, Switzerland's policy of neutrality means that they are unlikely to be deployed
elsewhere.
Intelligence gathering[edit]
Main article: Swiss intelligence agencies

Onyx antennas in Leuk
The Swiss military department maintains the Onyx intelligence gathering system, similar to but much
smaller than the international Echelon system.
The Onyx system was launched in 2000 in order to monitor both civil and military communications,
such as telephone, fax or Internet traffic carried bysatellite. It was completed in late 2005 and
currently consists of three interception sites, all based in Switzerland. In a way similar to Echelon,
Onyx uses lists of keywords to filter the intercepted content for information of interest.
On 8 January 2006, the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick (Sunday edition of the Blick newspaper)
published a secret report produced by the Swiss government using data intercepted by Onyx.
[citation
needed]
The report described a fax sent by the Egyptian department of Foreign Affairs to the
EgyptianEmbassy in London, and described the existence of secret detention facilities (black sites)
run by the CIA in Central and Eastern Europe. The Swiss government did not officially confirm the
existence of the report, but started a judiciary procedure for leakage of secret documents against the
newspaper on 9 January 2006.
[citation needed]

Lakes flotilla[edit]
"Swiss Navy" redirects here. For the Swiss Merchant Navy, see Merchant Marine of Switzerland.
Several sizeable lakes which lie across international borders are patrolled by a flotilla of
military patrol boats. This maritime branch of the Army not only maintains the patrols but also serve
in a Search-and-rescue role. The force includes Aquarius-class patrol boats 80 PBRs, which are
operated by Motorboat Company 10 of the Corps of Engineers and which patrol
lakes Geneva, Lucerne, Lugano, Maggiore and Constance.
[24]

Conscription[edit]
Main article: Conscription in Switzerland
Switzerland has mandatory military service for all able-bodied male citizens, who
are conscripted when they reach the age of majority,
[25]
though women may volunteer for any
position.
[26]
People determined unfit for service, where fitness is defined as "satisfying physically,
intellectually and psychically requirements for military service or civil protection service and being
capable of accomplishing these services without harming oneself or others",
[27]
are exempted from
service but pay a 3% additional annual income tax until the age of 30, unless they are affected by
a disability.
[28]
Almost 20% of all conscripts were found unfit for military or civilian service in 2008; the
rate is generally higher in urban cantons such as Zurich and Geneva than in the rural ones.
[29]
Swiss
citizens living abroad are generally exempted from conscription in time of peace
[30]
while dual
citizenship by itself does not grant such exemption.
[31]

On September 22, 2013, a referendum was held that aimed to abolish conscription in
Switzerland.
[32]
With a turnout of 47.0% on this particular question, over 73% voted against
eliminating conscription.
Roles[edit]
The prime role of the Swiss Armed Forces is Home Defence. Switzerland is not part of any
multinational war-fighting structure, but individual Armed Forces members do take part in
international missions.
Peacekeeping Overseas[edit]

Cougar AS532 T-334 Swiss Air Force rescue exercise
Operating from a neutral country, Switzerland's army does not take part in armed conflicts in other
countries. However, over the years, the Swiss army has been part of several peacekeeping missions
around the world.
From 1996 to 2001, the Swiss Army was present in Bosnia and Herzegovina with headquarters
in Sarajevo. Its mission, part of the Swiss Peacekeeping Missions, was to provide logistic and
medical support to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), protection
duties and humanitarian demining. The mission was named SHQSU, standing for Swiss
Headquarters Support Unit to BiH. It was composed of 50 to 55 elite Swiss soldiers under contract
for six to 12 months. None of the active soldiers were armed during the duration of the mission. The
Swiss soldiers were recognized among the other armies present on the field by their distinctive
yellow beret. The SHQSU is not the same as the more publicized Swisscoy, which is the Swiss Army
Mission to Kosovo.
Switzerland is part of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC), which was created to
monitor the armistice between North and South Korea. Since the responsibilities of the NNSC have
been much reduced over the past few years, only five people are still part of the Swiss delegation,
which is located near the Korean DMZ.
[33][34][35]

Military and civil defence[edit]
After World War II, Switzerland began building homes with 40 cm-thick concrete ceilings that might
survive firebombing of the type that destroyed Hamburg and Dresden. In the 1960s they began
constructing radiation and blast shelters that could survive one to three bars of pressure from a
nuclear explosion.
[36]
Building codes require blast shelters, which are said to be able to accommodate
114% of the Swiss population.
[37]
Small towns have large underground parking garages that can
serve as sealed community shelters.
[36]
There are also hospitals and command centres in such
shelters, aimed at keeping the country running in case of emergencies. Every family or rental agency
has to pay a replacement tax to support these shelters, or alternatively own a personal shelter in
their place of residence;
[38]
many private shelters serve as wine cellars and closets.
[36]


Camouflaged cannons and fortifications near Furka Pass in the Gotthard region
Thousands of tunnels, highways, railroads, and bridges are built with tank traps and primed
with demolition charges to be used against invading forces; often, the civilian engineer who designed
the bridge plans the demolition as a military officer. Hidden guns are aimed to prevent enemy forces
from attempting to rebuild.
[13]
Permanent fortifications were established in the Alps, as bases from
which to retake the fertile valleys after a potential invasion. They include underground air bases that
are adjacent to normal runways; the aircraft, crew and supporting material are housed in the
caverns.
However, a significant part of these fortifications was dismantled between the 1980s and during the
"Army 95" reformation. The most important fortifications are located at Saint-Maurice, Gotthard
Pass area and Sargans. The fortification on the left side of the Rhne at Saint-Maurice is no longer
used by the army since the beginning of the 1990s. The right side (Savatan) is still in use.
During the Cold War the military expected that any invasion would likely come from the northeast, as
the Soviet Union associated the country with NATO despite its stated neutrality.
[13]
The Swiss
government thought that the aim of an invasion would be to control the economically important
transport routes through the Swiss Alps, namely the Gotthard, the Simplon and Great St.
Bernard passes, because Switzerland does not possess any significant natural resources.
Equipment[edit]
Weapons marked in bold are considered personal equipment of the soldier, who is responsible for
their well-functioning and must keep them at home until the end of the military service (unless living
near an external border of Switzerland).
[39]
Between brackets is the number of such weapons in
personal equipment as of 31 January 2009.
[40]
Swiss Army knives are also issued, but are not
considered weapons.
Small arms[edit]
See also: Service rifle Switzerland

The Stgw 90 standard service rifle fitted with an underslung 40 mm GL 5040 grenade launcher.

8.6mm Scharfschtzengewehr 04 sniper rifle

PGM Hecate II heavy sniper rifle

LMG 05, FN Minimi
Individual weapons[edit]
Sturmgewehr 90 assault rifle (200,000)
Sturmgewehr 57 battle rifle (2,000)
Pistole 75 semi-automatic pistol (30,000)
Pistole 49 semi-automatic pistol (1,000)
Pistole 03 semi-automatic pistol (Military Police)
Glock semi-automatic pistol (Swiss Grenadiers, ARD 10, FSK-17)
FN Minimi
Heckler & Koch MP5 submachinegun
Brgger & Thomet MP9 machine pistol
Tuma MTE 224 VA machine pistol
Remington 870 multipurpose shotgun (known as Mehrzweckgewehr
91)
Sako TRG-42 8.6 mm anti-personnel sniper
rifle (Scharfschtzengewehr 04)
PGM Hecate II 12.7 mm anti-materiel heavy sniper
rifle (Przisionsgewehr 04)
Crew served weapons[edit]
MG51 machine gun
MG 710 machine gun / MG55 (still stocked, but neither trained on
nor used in rep courses; same as MG3)
Other weapons[edit]
Gewehraufsatz 97 40mm grenade launcher (mounted under
"Sturmgewehr 90" assault rifle for grenadiers and fusiliers)
HG 85 hand grenade
Panzerfaust 3 shoulder-launched recoilless anti-tank weapon
M47 Dragon anti-tank guided rocket (being phased out without
replacement due to cost-intensive maintenance)
Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV)[edit]

This section is empty. You can help
by adding to it. (October 2014)
Swiss Army tanks[edit]
Image Tank Origin Type Versio
n(s)
Numb
er
Enter
ed
servic
e
WF
U
Note
s

Renault FT17
France
Light Tank II 5 1921 1944
Vickers Carden
Loyd
United
Kingdom
Tank I, 33, 34,
35
8 1931 1948
Landsverk 60 Sweden Tank 1 1936 ? Test

Panzer39
Czechoslo
vakia
Tank LTL-H 24 1939 1950

Renault R35
France
Light Tank 12 1940 ? Test
Image Tank Origin Type Versio
n(s)
Numb
er
Enter
ed
servic
e
WF
U
Note
s

Nahkampfkanone
1
Switzerland
Tankhunte
r
1 1944 1947 Test

Nahkampfkanone
2 Gustav
Switzerland
Tankhunte
r
1 1946 1947 Test
Cruiser tank United
Kingdom
Tank RAM
Mk.II
2 1947 1968 Test

Panzerjger G 13 Germany
Tankhunte
r
G13 158 1947 1973


AMX-13
France
Light Tank

200 1954 1980


M47 Patton
United
States
Medium
Tank
M Pz M47 2 1952 1954 Test

Panzer 55
Centurion
United
Kingdom
Tank PZ55 Mk3 100 1955 1991
Tank Pz55 Mk5 100 1955 1991 From
South
Africa
Tank Pz57 Mk7 100 1957 1991
Tank
Pz67
12 1975 1991
From
Image Tank Origin Type Versio
n(s)
Numb
er
Enter
ed
servic
e
WF
U
Note
s
Mk12 Canada

Entpannungspanze
r56
United
Kingdom
Recoveryt
ank
Entp Pz 56 30 1956 1991 19 sold
1991 to
Sweden.

brckenpanzer 55
Centurion
United
Kingdom
Bridgelaye
r
Br Pz 2 1963 1966 Test

Panzer 58
Switzerland
Medium
tank
MPz 58 12 1958 1964

Panzer 61
Switzerland
Medium
tank
Pz61 150 1964 1994

Panzer 68
Switzerland
Tank Pz68
1Serie
170 1971 1999 all
upgrade
t to
AA3.
Tank Pz68AA2 50 1974 2003
Tank Pz68/75 170 1978 2003

Tank Pz68 AA5 220 1988 1999
Tank Pz68/88 195 1993 2003

Entpannungspanze
r 65
Switzerland
recovery Entp Pz65 69 1970 2008

Image Tank Origin Type Versio
n(s)
Numb
er
Enter
ed
servic
e
WF
U
Note
s

Brckenpanzer 68
Switzerland
Bridgelaye
r
Br Pz68 30 1974 2005


Panzerkanone 68
Switzerland
Self prop
howitze
Pz Kan 68 4 1972 1975 Test


Fliegerabwehrpanz
er 68
Switzerland
AAA B22L 2 1979 1980 Test


Zielfahrzeug 68
Switzerland
training
Target
10 1974 2007


Mowag Shark
Switzerland
misc 3 1981 1981 Test:AP
C,
Tank,
AAA,
Anti
Tank


Mowag
PiranhaIIIC 10x10
Switzerland
misc IIC 10x10 1 1994 1994 Test


M109
howitzer Panzerha
ubitze 66
United
States
Howitze M109
KAWES
577 1974

Image Tank Origin Type Versio
n(s)
Numb
er
Enter
ed
servic
e
WF
U
Note
s

Leopard
2 Panzer87, Pz87
WE
Germany Tank A4 380 1987 Reduce
d to
224,
134
Upgrade
to
Pz87W
E.

Leopard 2 Driving
trainer
Germany trainer 3 1988 2002


Leopard Bffel Germany recovery BPz3 25 2004

Leopard Kodiak Germany
Switzerland
Pionier SKodiak 12 2010

Swiss Army light armored vehicles[edit]
Image vehicle Origin Notes

Universal Carrier United Kingdom Was in use
MOWAG Scorpion
Switzerland
Tested

Mowag Pirat
Switzerland
Test,lost against M113
Image vehicle Origin Notes

Saurer Tartaruga
Switzerland
Test,lost against M113

M113 United States In use

M548 United States In use

Mowag armored dummy
Switzerland
Was in use

Mowag Puma
Switzerland
Tested

Mowag Shark
Switzerland
Tested

Mowag Piranha 8x8
Switzerland
500 in service

Mowag Piranha 6x6
Switzerland
100 in service

Mowag Piranha 10x10
Switzerland
Tested
Image vehicle Origin Notes

Mowag Eagle
Switzerland
300 in service

DURO III
Switzerland
290 in service

DURO GMTF
Switzerland
130 on order

Mowag Trojan
Switzerland
After delay of order
production cancelled

CV9030CH Sweden 200 in service
Source: Swiss Armed Forces: Land forces weapon systems (p. 12)
[11]

See also[edit]
Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces
Swiss Guard
Notes and references[edit]
1. Jump up^ Dokumenten - Die Armee in Zahlen Federal
Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (German)
2. Jump up^ . 2014-06-30 http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-
military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=switzerland. Missing or
empty |title= (help)
3. Jump up^ Sipri: Data by Country Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute, Retrieved March 29, 2014
4. Jump up^ The World Factbook - Switzerland Central Intelligence
Agency, Retrieved March 29, 2014
5. Jump up^ Soldiers can keep guns at home but not
ammo Swissinfo
6. Jump up^ "Zwei Drittel der Rekruten diensttauglich (Schweiz, NZZ
Online)". Retrieved 23 February 2009.
7. Jump up^ Armeezahlen www.vbs.admin.ch (German)
8. Jump up^ World War I
Preparation in German, French and Italian in the online Historical
Dictionary of Switzerland.
9. Jump up^ "L'volution de la politique de scurit de la Suisse" (in
French). NATO. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
10. ^ Jump up to:
a

b
"Volksabstimmung vom 2. Dezember 2001" (in
German). Federal Chancellery. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
11. ^ Jump up to:
a

b

c

d

e
"The basic organisation of the Swiss Armed
Forces". Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and
Sports. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
12. Jump up^ "L'instruction des cadres" (in French). # Federal
Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Retrieved 12
July 2009.
13. ^ Jump up to:
a

b

c

d

e

f
McPhee, John (1983-10-31). "La Place de la
Concorde Suisse-I". The New Yorker. p. 50. Retrieved 22 July
2013.
14. Jump up^ "Army chief falls but defence minister to
stay". swissinfo. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
15. Jump up^ "Grandes units" (in French). Federal Department of
Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
16. Jump
up^ http://www.he.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/verbaende/infb
r2/articulation.html
17. Jump
up^ http://www.he.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/verbaende/infb
r5/verbaende.html
18. Jump
up^ http://www.he.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/verbaende/gebi
nfbr9/struttura.html
19. Jump
up^ http://www.he.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/verbaende/gebi
nfbr12/organisation.html
20. Jump
up^ http://www.he.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/verbaende/infb
r7/truppenkoerper.html
21. Jump
up^ http://www.he.admin.ch/internet/heer/de/home/verbaende/gebi
nfbr10/unterstellte.html
22. Jump up^ "Swiss Hornets reach 50,000 flight hours milestone".
Military Aviation Publications. 24 October 2008. Retrieved 14 July
2009.
23. Jump up^ FACTS No. 06/30 - Page 20
24. Jump up^ "Lehrverband Genie/Rettung - Truppen". Swiss Land
Forces. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
25. Jump up^ "Conscrits et recrues" (in French). Federal Department
of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
26. Jump up^ "Femmes dans l'arme" (in French). Federal
Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Retrieved 10
July 2009.
27. Jump up^ "Dfinition de l'aptitude au service" (in French). Federal
Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Retrieved 10
July 2009.
28. Jump up^ "Ordonnance sur la taxe d'exemption de l'obligation de
servir" (in French). Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation.
Retrieved 10 July 2009.
29. Jump up^ "Les chiffres du recrutement en 2008" (in French).
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports.
Retrieved 10 July 2009.
30. Jump up^ "Les Suisses de l'tranger" (in French). Federal
Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Retrieved 10
July 2009.
31. Jump up^ "Doubles-nationaux" (in French). Federal Department of
Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
32. Jump up^ Referendums on 22 September 2013 Swiss Parliament,
28 June 2013. Retrieved, March 4, 2014(German)
33. Jump up^ "Swiss participation to the mission NNSC in Korea".
Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport.
Retrieved 12 July 2009.
34. Jump up^ "Swiss keep watch over fragile peace". swissinfo. 19
May 2003. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
35. Jump up^ "Photogallery: NNSC Korea". Photogallery Thomas
Mder. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
36. ^ Jump up to:
a

b

c
McPhee, John (1983-11-07). "La Place de la
Concorde Suisse-II". The New Yorker. p. 55. Retrieved 22 July
2013.
37. Jump up^ "Bunkers for all". swissinfo. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 13
July 2009.
38. Jump up^ Imogen Foulkes. Swiss still braced for nuclear war.
BBC News, 10 February 2007.
39. Jump up^ "Ordonnance concernant l'quipement personnel des
militaires" (in French). Federal Authorities of the Swiss
Confederation. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
40. Jump up^ "Persnliche Ausrstung - Waffen" (in German).
Logistic Base of the Army. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
[dead link]

Betriebsanleitung Entpannungspanzer 65 (1972) K + W (Hrsg.):
Entpannungspanzer 65 Betriebsanleitung. Nur fr den dienstlichen
Gebrauch. Auflage von 1972. K + W (Eidgenssische
Konstruktionswerksttten) - Thun(Entpannungspanzer 65 Operating
Instructions. Only for official use. Edition of 1972. K + W (Swiss
design workshops) - Thun)
Book Urs Heller: Die Panzer der schweizer Armee von 1920 bis
2008 [1]
Military Museum Full AG Switzerland
Bibliography[edit]
John McPhee, La Place de la Concorde Suisse, New York:
Noonday Press (Farrar, Straus & Giroux), 1984.
Field Army Corps 1, Scurit au seuil du XXIe sicle: Histoire et vie
du Corps d'Armee de Campagne 1, c.2000. ISBN 2-9700264-0-6.
External links[edit]

Wikisource has the text of
the1911 Encyclopdia
Britannica articleSwitzerland/Army.

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