Taskforce Drones
The Taskforce Drones (TFD) was launched in 2024 by the National Armaments Director Urs Loher, the Chief of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Thomas Süssli, the Secretary-General of the DDPS Daniel Büchel and the Director of the Federal Office for Civil Protection Michaela Schärer. Control is exerted by the Chief of the Armed Forces and the Chief of Armament. Thomas Rothacher, Deputy National Armaments Director and Head of the competence sector armasuisse Science and Technology is responsible for management.
Overview
Technological development is advancing exponentially. New technological advancements are continuously being achieved at ever shorter intervals. In the case of drone technology, this phenomenon is even more evident, since drones also benefit from advances in other sectors, such as artificial intelligence or additive manufacturing processes.
The central importance of modern drone, drone defence and unmanned systems for reconnaissance, effect and protection is also being underscored by the security policy developments globally and in Europe – such as the war in Ukraine. At the same, the number of illegal drone flyovers outside of active conflict zones, for example, over critical infrastructures, is also increasing.
By involving industry and academia, the Taskforce Drones wants to strengthen the Security-relevant Technology and Industry Base (STIB), as well as build up skills in the area of (attack) drones and their production, thus increase defence capabilities. The Taskforce Drones is particularly focused on maximising Switzerland's autonomy in implementing this technology in order to reduce dependence on international supply chains.
The focus is on small and medium-sized drones. The Taskforce is to function as a permanent testbed until 2027. The procurement of military off-the-shelf (MOTS) systems is not planned for the Taskforce Drones.
Goals
Strengthen defence capabilities with Swiss drones by ...
- ... providing the Swiss Armed Forces with drones for trials in order to accelerate the development of capabilities;
- ... developing and manufacturing drones in Switzerland wherever possible in order to reduce dependencies.
Skill domains
The activities of the Taskforce Drones are divided into two skill domains:
- Effect against surface targets
- Effect against air targets (drobe defence with drones)
In addition, multi-purpose drones, carrier platforms and swarm applications are being considered.
The different applications are examined over various distances up to 300 km+.
Effect against surface targets
Attack drone
Expanding civil, commercially available products with weapons to be able to transport or eject these over shorter distances (up to 15 km). The focus is on improvisation and innovation and not product development.
Carrier platform
Carrier platform will be developed based on existing drone platforms. These can, among other things bring attack drones or other payloads over long distances (300km+) close to a target area and deploy them there.
Effect against air targets
Drone defence
Swiss partners are manufacturing drones to defend against small drones (counter-unmanned aerial vehicle, C-UAV). These repel approaching enemy drones at short range, equipped with or without additional agents.
Further
Multi-purpose drone
Heavily specialised Swiss companies together create a small drone which can be carried along thanks to its small dimensions and used for various tasks in the immediate military vicinity.
Swarming
Using the strong technological base of the Swiss Academy to examine new technological strategies for swarm behaviour and to test various different assignments of such drone swarms.
Short reportage - Insight into the Taskforce Drones
Members of the Taskforce
The Taskforce Drones is an inter-agency project of the DDPS with the cooperation of other departments.
The following are primarily involved in the work:
- Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport DDPS
- Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse: all areas of expertise
- Swiss Armed Forces: Joint Operations Command (especially Competence Centre Drones and Robotics defence), Armed Forces Staff, Training and Education Command, Cyber Command. Armed Forces Logistics Organisation ALO
- State Secretariat for Security Policy SEPOS
- Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO
Media coverage
Downloads
More videos
Contact
Questions can be sent to: taskforce.drohnen@ar.admin.ch