Swiss-French air drills set to enhance defence capabilities

Switzerland, maintaining its neutral status, is set to conduct joint military exercises with France, a NATO member, on September 3-4.

The Swiss government has announced that the exercises will involve joint flights in the airspace of both nations. The drills will feature four Swiss F/A-18 fighter jets and an equal number of French Navy Rafale fighters, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The statement from the Swiss Air Force and the French Navy details that the exercises will include several training modules within the airspace of the two countries. The French Rafale jets, typically stationed at the naval aviation base in Landivisiau in northwestern France, will spend one night at the Swiss airbase in Payerne for these "joint drills."

The exercises will focus on "testing the planning, execution, and analysis of air defence operations" and include "experience sharing" between the two air forces. The joint military exercises between Switzerland and France are conducted under a bilateral agreement signed in 2018. 

This agreement "forms part of a long-standing collaboration between the air forces of the two countries in training and preparation and aims to enhance defence capabilities through international cooperation," according to a statement from Bern.   Switzerland has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with NATO, including participating in military exercises and improving operational interoperability, as outlined in the foreign policy strategy adopted by the Swiss government on January 31, 2024.

Despite not being a NATO or EU member, Switzerland supports the EU sanctions imposed on Russia in response to the military operation in Ukraine. In March 2022, the Russian government published a list of foreign countries and territories deemed unfriendly to Russia, its companies, and its citizens. Switzerland is included in this list.