At its meeting on February 15th, 2023, the Swiss Federal Council approved the Despatch on Army 2023. It requests that Parliament raise the armed forces spending ceiling from 21.1 to 21.7 billion francs for the fiscal year 2021-2024. It also requests up to 1.9 billion francs in commitment credits. The decision was issued on February 15th by the Swiss Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sport.
When the Ukrainian conflict erupted, Parliament directed the Federal Council to increase military spending. The Federal Council and Parliament then allocated additional resources to the military in the 2023 budget and the 2024-2026 financial plan. As a result, the army"s spending ceiling for 2021-2024 will rise from 21.1 to 21.7 billion francs. The Federal Council"s decision to increase resources allows for anticipating specific planned projects that have already been assessed.
A year after Russian aggression on Ukraine, Switzerland took its second. The new approval clears the way for acquiring additional personnel carriers and ammunition for the land forces, as well as expanding the capabilities of the new Patriot air defence system. Furthermore, the cyber defence will be strengthened, and the building stock will be modernised.
