The Federal Council of Switzerland has agreed to decommission 25 Leopard 2 main battle tanks. This will allow them to be sold back to the German manufacturer Rheinmetall.
Swissinfo notes that Switzerland has 96 decommissioned Leopard 2 main battle tanks, but the National Councilʼs security policy commission is asking for 25 units to be decommissioned.
A small majority of the Commission members believe that decommissioning is appropriate if the tanks of the German manufacturer will be sold back.
The Federal Council reports that the army itself needs 71 of these 96 tanks. The remaining 25 could be sold.
- Germany has asked Switzerland to sell it some of its retired Leopard 2 tanks. This could allow Berlin and other allies to increase military aid to Ukraine. The Czech Republic has also submitted an application to Switzerland for the purchase of Leopard 2 tanks.