Swiss Army Air2030: two offers received for a longer range ground-based air defence system
Bern, 03.25.2019 – Two of the three companies surveyed (David’s Sling by Rafael, Israel; Patriot of Raytheon, USA; SAMP / T by Eurosam, France) presented their offers to armasuisse on March 22, 2019 for a longer range ground-based air defense system (GBAD). The presentation of the offers marks the beginning of the analysis and test phase.
Based on the requirements published by the DDPS on March 23, 2018, two of the three candidates presented their offers to armasuisse on 22 March 2019 for a longer range land-air defense system. The offers concerned the following defense systems: Patriot from Raytheon company (USA) and SAMP / T from Eurosam consortium (France). No offer was presented by Israel for the “David’s Sling” system. Therefor Israel is no longer part of the selection procedure.
Start of the analysis and test phase
As for the purchase of new fighters, also for the GBAD the analysis and test phase begins with the presentation of this first offer. DDPS specialists are evaluating the answers to the series of questions compiled by the candidates at the time of the offer. Various DDPS teams will evaluate the effectiveness of the system, maintenance and training from May to July 2019. From mid-August to the end September 2019 the sensors of the ground-to-air defense systems will be tested to verify the indicated effectiveness of the radar by measurements on the ground ground and on in-flight targets. No firing tests will be carried out.
The next stages of the ground-based air defense system project
The knowledge that emerged from the analysis and test phases will be summarized separately for each candidate by armasuisse in collaboration with the Army General Staff, the Air Force, the Armed Forces Logistics Organisation and the Armed Forces Command Support Organisation. The comparison between the candidates will be carried out at a later moment. According to the current timing, in the winter 2019/2020 armasuisse will develop a second request for offer that will be sent to the candidates. Based on the knowledge that emerged from the second offer, it will compare the two candidates based on specialist reports determining the overall effectiveness for each candidate. After that, an evaluation report will be elaborated in which the respective overall effectiveness will be compared with purchase and operations costs on a 30 year period. The type decision will remain with the Federal Council.
Unofficial translation by EDR On-Line
Photo courtesy MBDA
