- WIADOMOŚCI
Switzerland buys together with NATO
The Swiss government has announced its accession to the Ammunition Support Partnership (ASP), a joint ammunition procurement programme led by NATO. It is the first non-Alliance state to participate in the project.
The programme aims to reduce ammunition procurement costs and shorten delivery times. By joining the initiative, Switzerland will be able to purchase over 2,000 different types of munitions used by its land and air forces.
Questions have arisen regarding whether joining the initiative violates Switzerland’s neutrality. The government in Bern emphasises that this is not the case, as the country can withdraw from the programme if other participating nations become involved in an armed conflict.
See also
The ASP was established in 1993. It is a programme managed by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). Until now, it comprised 27 Alliance member states. The programme enables joint ammunition procurement – individual countries submit their requirements, and the NSPA bundles these orders to purchase them through framework agreements with suppliers. Following Switzerland’s accession to the initiative, defence companies from that country will be able to bid for these joint contracts.
