Switzerland disposes of 60 Rapier anti-aircraft missile systems that could have been sent to Ukraine 

NZZ.Magazin writes about it.

"It is planned that all systems will be dismantled and disposed of as part of these other tranches," said Kai-Gunnar Sievert, a spokesman for Armasuisse, the Federal Defence Procurement Office.

It is noted that these systems are well suited for shooting down low-flying targets, in particular for drones.

“Missiles are old, but not quite obsolete. They can be very well used against low-flying targets such as drones," says Peter Schneider, military expert and former editor-in-chief of the Allgemeine Schweizerische Militärzeitschrift (ASMZ).

He also noted that Rapiers could fight fighter jets and helicopters, which would be fitting for the protection of Ukraine's civil infrastructure.

The Swiss Army purchased the Rapier in the 1980s. In 2007, the government heavily invested in its modernization, and the army purchased 2,000 modern missiles. They are now being disposed of, while Rapier was decommissioned at the end of 2022.

"It is absurd that we are disposing of defensive weapons in Switzerland," says François Pointe, a member of the National Council from the Green Liberals. He supports the transfer of weapons to Ukraine. 

It is noted that this is legally possible because these SAMs are British-made, so they are subject to different rules than Swiss weapons. The publication emphasizes that Switzerland did not inquire "whether this weapon is in demand" before disposal.

"The Rapier story highlights a fundamental problem: Switzerland will decommission many foreign weapons systems in the next few years. For example, 248 M113 infantry fighting vehicles and over 100 M109 artillery guns [will be disposed of]. Both systems are American products and both are on the front line in Ukraine," the publication emphasizes.

• The Swiss government has announced that it refuses to transfer Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine and other countries, despite pressure from the EU.