7 ms·

I understand now better why my country (Switzerland) wants to purchase 30-ish of those for "National Skies Protection". It is well in line with their past strat

I understand now better why my country (Switzerland) wants to purchase 30-ish of those for "National Skies Protection". It is well in line with their past strategies and accomplishments: 1) Provide a sky patrol, but on only on office hours (9 - 17). 2) Buy for 1B CHF worth of radar, that would unfortunately lock on cows pasturing. 3) Buy for 0.5B CHF worth of software, then discard it because it's incompatible. 4) etc, etc, etc ....

swarnie 5y ago
Could you possibly adopt the Irish model and just get someone else to do it? Germany have a few working planes i think.
- dotancohen 5y ago
  > Germany have a few working planes i think. Oh, yes, history has proven that we want cats guarding the milk, ahem, Germans protecting other European nations from invasion. ))
  - saiya-jin 5y ago
    We are well past that mentality here. Germans basically keep EU going not only financially which I consider a win overall for Europe despite its drawbacks. Not another Versaille hanging over them to humiliate and keep the nation poor to piss off somebody down the line.
    - swarnie 5y ago
      It was intentionally tongue in cheek. I love the EU nations online =)
    - dotancohen 5y ago
      Yes, of course, I'm well aware that Germany of today is not the Germany of 1939. Otherwise I wouldn't have Bosch appliances at home. )) > Germans basically keep EU going not only financially This could be interpreted as meaning that Germany _has_ conquered all of Europe, finally!
  - benjamir 5y ago
    Indeed! Let's protect our col...common wealth ourselves!
option_greek 5y ago
(1) is hilarious. Do they also expect enemy combatants to make an appointment and provide the location of the meet :D
- Sharlin 5y ago
  They require strict observation of Robert's Rules of Engagement.
- immmmmm 5y ago
  it was subcontracted to france and italy. i think they now do provide this service 24/7 due to minor backlash. however, the time a jet is in the air, the "enemy " is already in another country.
- SllX 5y ago
  They’re a neutral nation surrounded by countries which are at the moment friendly. Neutrality incentivizes them to stay armed and to do their patrols but Switzerland has no reason to expect a war from France, Germany or Italy anytime soon.
  - dekhn 5y ago
    Well, also large numbers of French, Germans, and Italians commute into CH every day, attacking your own citizens is considered bad.
  - dane-pgp 5y ago
    > no reason to expect a war from France, Germany or Italy Liechtenstein, on the other hand... https://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/witzerland-invaded-liechtenstein-by-mistake-x.html https://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/witzerland-invaded-...
  - mhh__ 5y ago
    Switzerland would also be bombed flat in the event anyone dedicated enough to go to war with the world's bank actually did so. This is where people would go "ah but [shelters, etc.]", but there would be nothing to leave the shelters to return to. The kind of opponent they would actually face in a conventional conflict is likely not a just one.
brutusborn 5y ago
Do you have more info on (2)? I couldn't find any info from a quick google search.
- immmmmm 5y ago
  yes, in french, via ggl translate: "Apparently it works in the plains but in the mountains, when for example a cow moves on the slopes, the radar identifies the animal as an enemy object", explained the Minister of Defense, Ueli Maurer. to my knowledge, no cows have been hit by missiles so far. https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/6619651-un-nouveau-radar-de-larmee-suisse-confond-vaches-et-avions.html https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/6619651-un-nouveau-radar-de-l...
pie42000 5y ago
I mean as a swiss person, your biggest industry (watches) exists almost entirely out of "it looks cool". Rich Militaries buy the F-35 because it's a cool toy, in the same way a rich businessman buys a Patel Phillipe. Not because he needs to tell time, but because he wants to have something fun to play with and look at when he has free time.
- immmmmm 5y ago
  i don't think our biggest industry is watch nowadays.. but i agree with your explanation!
- TheGigaChad 5y ago
  You brain damaged clown.

swarnie 5y ago

Could you possibly adopt the Irish model and just get someone else to do it? Germany have a few working planes i think.

dotancohen 5y ago
> Germany have a few working planes i think. Oh, yes, history has proven that we want cats guarding the milk, ahem, Germans protecting other European nations from invasion. ))
- saiya-jin 5y ago
  We are well past that mentality here. Germans basically keep EU going not only financially which I consider a win overall for Europe despite its drawbacks. Not another Versaille hanging over them to humiliate and keep the nation poor to piss off somebody down the line.
  - swarnie 5y ago
    It was intentionally tongue in cheek. I love the EU nations online =)
  - dotancohen 5y ago
    Yes, of course, I'm well aware that Germany of today is not the Germany of 1939. Otherwise I wouldn't have Bosch appliances at home. )) > Germans basically keep EU going not only financially This could be interpreted as meaning that Germany _has_ conquered all of Europe, finally!
- benjamir 5y ago
  Indeed! Let's protect our col...common wealth ourselves!

option_greek 5y ago

(1) is hilarious. Do they also expect enemy combatants to make an appointment and provide the location of the meet :D

Sharlin 5y ago
They require strict observation of Robert's Rules of Engagement.
immmmmm 5y ago
it was subcontracted to france and italy. i think they now do provide this service 24/7 due to minor backlash. however, the time a jet is in the air, the "enemy " is already in another country.
SllX 5y ago
They’re a neutral nation surrounded by countries which are at the moment friendly. Neutrality incentivizes them to stay armed and to do their patrols but Switzerland has no reason to expect a war from France, Germany or Italy anytime soon.
- dekhn 5y ago
  Well, also large numbers of French, Germans, and Italians commute into CH every day, attacking your own citizens is considered bad.
- dane-pgp 5y ago
  > no reason to expect a war from France, Germany or Italy Liechtenstein, on the other hand... https://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/witzerland-invaded-liechtenstein-by-mistake-x.html https://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/witzerland-invaded-...
- mhh__ 5y ago
  Switzerland would also be bombed flat in the event anyone dedicated enough to go to war with the world's bank actually did so. This is where people would go "ah but [shelters, etc.]", but there would be nothing to leave the shelters to return to. The kind of opponent they would actually face in a conventional conflict is likely not a just one.

brutusborn 5y ago

Do you have more info on (2)? I couldn't find any info from a quick google search.

immmmmm 5y ago
yes, in french, via ggl translate: "Apparently it works in the plains but in the mountains, when for example a cow moves on the slopes, the radar identifies the animal as an enemy object", explained the Minister of Defense, Ueli Maurer. to my knowledge, no cows have been hit by missiles so far. https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/6619651-un-nouveau-radar-de-larmee-suisse-confond-vaches-et-avions.html https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/6619651-un-nouveau-radar-de-l...

pie42000 5y ago

I mean as a swiss person, your biggest industry (watches) exists almost entirely out of "it looks cool". Rich Militaries buy the F-35 because it's a cool toy, in the same way a rich businessman buys a Patel Phillipe. Not because he needs to tell time, but because he wants to have something fun to play with and look at when he has free time.

immmmmm 5y ago
i don't think our biggest industry is watch nowadays.. but i agree with your explanation!
TheGigaChad 5y ago
You brain damaged clown.