Air2030: Second proposals for fighter aircraft and ground-based defence system by November 2020
Bern, 12.05.2020 - Due to the difficult global situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the second proposals for new fighter aircraft and new extended-range ground-based defence systems are expected in November 2020. The DDPS has set the new date because the manufacturers are affected by measures such as travel restrictions and remote working and the fact that meetings and talks cannot take place in person. This new date does not impact the procurement schedule.
In January 2020, armasuisse issued the second request for proposal for new fighter aircraft and a new extended-range ground-based defence system to the government agencies in the respective supplier countries. For the new fighter aircraft these are Germany (Airbus Eurofighter), France (Dassault Rafale), and the USA (Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed-Martin F-35A); for the extended-range ground-based defence system these are France (Eurosam SAMP/T) and the USA (Raytheon Patriot). The candidates were originally requested to submit their proposals by August 2020.
Confidentiality and travel restrictions
All candidates are affected by the measures imposed to counter the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees may be unable to work, or confidentiality provisions may prevent them from working remotely on the project. Travel restrictions hamper discussions in person between candidate officials, Swiss industry, and the DDPS. Moreover, meetings with Swiss industry officials are indispensable to discuss the implementation of offset projects. These meetings cannot be fully held virtually due to their sensitivity and confidentiality.
The DDPS has therefore decided to extend the date for the submission of the second proposals to November 2020. The extension enables the candidates to submit the second proposal in the required quality.
Schedule otherwise unchanged
The new date does not affect the procurement schedule. The overall utility of each system will be determined based on the information from the second proposal and the findings from the various testing activities. The results, together with a comprehensive risk analysis, will feed into the evaluation report, where the overall utility of the new fighter aircraft and the new extended-range ground-based air defence system will be set against the costs of procurement and 30 years of operation.
Address for enquiries
Kaj-Gunnar Sievert
Head of Communication, armasuisse
+41 58 464 62 47
Publisher
Armasuisse
http://www.ar.admin.ch/
General Secretariat DDPS
https://www.vbs.admin.ch/
Defence
http://www.vtg.admin.ch
