The Swiss army focuses on drones: the 2026 strategy (cross-border guide)

Context

At a Glance

• Swiss Army: New drone center of excellence and specialized battalion
• Drone recruit school starting in 2028; funding in the policy phase
• Expert Gilli (Hertie School): The right direction, but with limitations in scale
• Switzerland ahead of Austria; AI and high-power lasers among the advantages

Key Facts

• What: Swiss Army focuses on drones with a new center of excellence, battalion, and recruit school
• When: Recruit school starting in 2028; analysis in August 2026
• Where: Switzerland; technological research in Zurich and Lausanne
• Who: DDPS, analyst Mauro Gilli (Hertie School Berlin)
• Context: The war in Ukraine has lasted nearly 5 years; military strategies have been transformed
• Funding: Under discussion at the federal level
• Comparison: Switzerland is further ahead than Austria in its preparations

The Army’s Modernization Efforts and Drone Strategy

The Swiss Army is accelerating its pace toward technological modernization. On the ground, this involves the launch of a new center of excellence dedicated to unmanned aerial vehicles, and on the political front, it includes debates on the funding of these new capabilities. The initiative includes a new specialized battalion and a recruit school set to open in 2028—a sign of medium-term strategic investment in a sector that the war in Ukraine, now in its nearly fifth year, has made central to modern operations.

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Operational details

The Advantages and Limitations of the Swiss Supply Chain

A nation’s ability to equip itself with drones and defense technologies depends not only on strategic intentions but also on industrial realities. A study recently published by Gilli’s former colleagues at ETH Zurich shed light on this very aspect.

According to the study, Switzerland enjoys “significant advantages due to the fact that it is a highly technologically advanced country with a sophisticated industrial base across multiple sectors.” However, there is a flip side to the coin. “There is a problem of scale. In practice, it is very difficult to have the capacity to produce all these components or to procure all the necessary materials in the required quantities,” explains Gilli. Le aziende svizzere leader nel settore aerospaziale e tecnologico si confrontano quotidianamente con questa sfida di scalabilità.

The problem is further complicated by the accelerated product cycle of modern warfare. Drones, which are state-of-the-art today, can become obsolete within a matter of months. “Within a few months, drones can go from being the most advanced technology to being obsolete, precisely because the adversary has developed countermeasures.” This continuous acceleration of the cycle of measures and countermeasures makes it difficult to maintain a stable technological advantage.

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Key points

Drone Defense: AI and High-Power Lasers as Swiss Keys

While drone attacks have become a central concern, the ability to defend against them is equally critical. On this front, publicly available information is very limited, Gilli admits. But this is precisely where one of Switzerland’s strengths lies.

The country—and in particular cities like Zurich and Lausanne—boasts world-class scientific and technological research centers. These universities and institutes have developed a highly advanced technological and industrial base in precisely those sectors that are key to neutralizing drones. Which sectors? First, artificial intelligence, which is key to identifying, detecting, and recognizing enemy drones. Second, other more physical technologies such as high-powered lasers that cause mechanical problems for drones by heating them up. These research and development capabilities position Switzerland not only as an importer of technology but also as a potential producer of defense solutions.

Implications for the Swiss Research and Technology Sector

The Swiss Army’s plan to develop new in-house expertise in drones has broader implications. It means investing in national research in critical sectors (AI, sensor technology, defense materials), which in turn could generate skilled jobs at Swiss centers of excellence. The 2028 deadline for launching the drone recruit school signals a concrete medium-term commitment. It is a sign of both strategic ambition and the need to train in-house personnel capable of operating and maintaining these systems.

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