Switzerland joins NATO ammunition procurement partnership

Switzerland has joined a NATO-linked partnership for joint ammunition procurement, saying the move could reduce costs and shorten delivery times.

The Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement, Armasuisse, said on Friday that Switzerland was now taking part in the Ammunition Support Partnership. The partnership is run through NATO's Support and Procurement Agency and includes 26 other countries.

Switzerland is militarily neutral and is not a member of NATO. Armasuisse said the country has worked with NATO's Support and Procurement Agency for 30 years and already participates in support partnerships for air-to-air missiles, Stinger ground-to-air missiles and the Patriot air defence system.

Armasuisse said the ammunition partnership covers more than 2,000 ammunition types for land, air and water domains. It said participating states can meet ammunition needs through joint procurements, creating cost savings and shorter delivery times through economies of scale.

The office said the move would allow Swiss companies to take part in procurement tenders from the NATO agency and would strengthen Switzerland's defence capability.

Armasuisse said Switzerland's participation was compatible with its long-standing neutrality. It said Switzerland could withdraw from the agreement if another participating state later became involved in an international armed conflict and withdrawal was needed to comply with neutrality law.