"The barrel has overflowed" DDPS considers canceling the drone procurement project
After numerous delays and mishaps, the Department of Defense (DDPS) is considering cancelling the drone procurement project for the first time. Head of Armaments Urs Loher said this to Radio SRF in a recording of the "Samstagsrundschau" program.
04.07.2025, 18:34
04.07.2025, 19:55
SDA
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- The Federal Department of Defense (DDPS) is considering withdrawing from the drone procurement project.
- Numerous delays and mishaps in the cooperation with the Israeli company Elbit have made head of armaments Urs Loher doubt the deal.
- If the deal is terminated, Loher expects a long legal dispute, the outcome of which is uncertain.
Although he had long been of the opinion that a termination was out of the question, they had now "reached a point where the question arises as to whether the famous last straw has broken the camel's back", said Loher.
This last straw refers to the automatic landing system that was due to be delivered in September. The Israeli company Elbit was unable to meet the deadline, which prompted the DDPS to extend the deadline to January and September 30. But "these two milestones were not met either", said Loher.
If the procurement project is canceled, he personally assumes that Elbit will "certainly come with counterclaims". There would then be a long legal dispute, the outcome of which would be uncertain.
