No crisis-proof logistics by 2035 Swiss Armed Forces have to cancel multi-million euro project
The army has canceled the complete introduction of logistics software. An alternative should not be available before 2035. The decision has caused concern in Bern.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The Swiss Armed Forces have canceled the complete introduction of SAP software for their logistics in 2023.
- This means that there will be no corresponding logistics in the event of a crisis.
- Parliamentarians are now demanding clarity from the Federal Council.
In 2020, Parliament approved CHF 240 million to introduce business resource planning software from SAP for the Swiss Armed Forces. Implementation has been underway since then. However, parliamentary minutes, which "SRF" was able to view, now show that the army canceled the complete introduction in 2023.
The so-called "Implementation Unit 8" has been stopped. The programme will only be completed up to the penultimate implementation unit 7. The army confirmed the decision at the request of "SRF".
SAP solutions are used in numerous companies. They are used, for example, for invoicing, salary payments, warehouse management and logistics tasks. In the army, the IT solution will be used for the mobilization of soldiers, the delivery of food rations, the provision of fighter jets and the management of fighter jets.
Army looks for another solution
The army had originally assumed that the "Disconnected Operations" module from SAP was a solution for a "robust and resilient military logistics system". This did not prove to be the case during the analysis with the support of third-party companies and SAP. The army is now looking for a different solution in the coming years.
This has serious consequences: For the time being, the army has no crisis-proof logistics to fall back on - in the event of war, for example. "We will only address this issue after 2035," says Alexander Kohli, Chief of the Armed Forces Staff, to the responsible supervisory committee. Funds are currently scarce.
Concerned politicians in Bern
The army's decision has caused concern in Bern: the members of the finance committees have written a letter to the politicians of the Security Policy Committee (SiK). In it, they ask the SiK whether the delayed introduction of war logistics poses a security risk for Switzerland. They also point out the financial risks.
The security politicians have now responded and requested a report from the Federal Council on the discontinuation of the project. This should be available by June 2025.