The Swiss Federal Council approved the country's accession to the European air defense system "Sky Shield," launched by Germany in 2022. The council stated, "Even after signing the membership declaration, Switzerland remains free to decide where and to what extent it plans to participate in the initiative and the land-to-air defense systems it intends to acquire."
The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) is a joint air defense plan established by Germany in 2022 to enhance European air defense. Switzerland signed a declaration of intent to join the program in June/July of last year. Several countries, including non-NATO members, have signed on to the project, including Germany, the UK, and Finland. The initiative aims to reduce costs for countries by coordinating their purchases of air and missile defense systems such as the Patriot missile system. It also seeks to facilitate cooperation in training, maintenance, and logistics services.
