Switzerland and Austria have agreed to cooperate on military procurement as both countries look to reduce costs and improve access to modern defense equipment.
Swiss Defense Minister Martin Pfister described the development as an early step toward closer European cooperation on acquisitions, with air defense expected to be one of the first areas of collaboration, according to a report by Swissinfo.
The partnership aims to address challenges brought about by the rising cost of advanced military systems.
“If we join forces, it will be cheaper and more efficient,” Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner said.
Despite the agreement, both ministers stressed that cooperation will remain limited to equipment procurement and joint military exercises.
They ruled out deeper military integration, including any merger of their air forces, noting that both neutral countries remain responsible for defending their own airspace under their respective constitutions.
Switzerland Expands Defense Partnerships
Switzerland has expanded its defense cooperation with European partners through cyber and air defense initiatives.
In May 2025, the EU approved the country’s participation in the Cyber Ranges Federation project, which connects national cyber training infrastructures to support joint exercises, research, and technology development involving AI, autonomous systems, and critical infrastructure protection.
In March of that year, Bern agreed to join the NATO Support and Procurement Agency’s Patriot Support Partnership, giving it access to a collaborative framework for sustaining Patriot air defense systems through improved spare parts availability and shared logistics.
Earlier, in October 2024, Switzerland signed up to the European Sky Shield Initiative, joining a growing group of European countries seeking to strengthen collective air and missile defense through shared procurement and closer coordination.
