Raytheon Technologies has been awarded a USD 1.2 Bn (EUR1.1 Bn) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract from the US Army to provide Switzerland with the Patriot air defence system, Raytheon announced on 3 April 2023.
The contract includes five Patriot fire units and a quantity of Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM-Ts), which provide an improved ability to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or enemy aircraft.
Acquisition of the Patriot system is part of an overhaul of Switzerland’s air defences through the country’s Air2030 programme, under which on 30 June 2021 Switzerland selected Patriot alongside the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as the country’s new fighter. A USD6.25 Bn contract for 36 F-35As was signed in September 2022, while the FMS of Patriot to Switzerland was approved by the US State Department in November 2022.
With this sale Switzerland becomes the 17th Patriot export customer and the eighth European country to choose the system as the backbone of its air defences.
Peter Felstead
