The Swiss army is faced with a serious problem of spy drones, writes the “NZZ AM SONNTAG”: on several occasions, soldiers have spotted such suspicious devices above weapons squares, the last time during a recent exercise at the Military Aerodrome of Meiringen (BE), where F/A-18 are parked and which will house American F-35. The incident presents similarities with drone observations above the German army sites, suspected of belonging to the Russian secret services, which constitute “the greatest current threat of spying for Switzerland,” said Stefan Hofer, spokesperson for the Swiss army (read box).
However, “the possibilities of protecting oneself from such spy activities are limited in peacetime for legal reasons, and due to the absence of defense systems, it is difficult to respond to it with effective countermeasures,” notes the spokesperson. Indeed, Swiss military police have no right to arrest and control flying drones near sensitive installations without violating their perimeter. Army officials believe that this legislation must therefore be adapted.
As well as security policy leaders. “Meiringen’s events are worrying,” says in particular the adviser to the States Josef Dittli (PLR/UR) who expects the army “that she indicates if other facilities are also concerned.” For the national councilor Fabian Molina (PS/SG), it is a “major security problem” and he deplores that our country is lagging behind “both technologically and legal”. On the Greens side, Gerhard Andrey (FR) says his Open Party to discuss the abolition of the weight limit of drones in the protection perimeter of military aerodromes for an effective interception of small devices in the event of suspicion of espionage.
