Israel and France are locked in an intensifying rivalry in the defense industry that has recently reached another peak. While French President Emmanuel Macron continues to curtail the presence of Israeli companies at prestigious defense exhibitions in his country, fierce competition for massive European contracts is unfolding behind the scenes, most notably in Switzerland.
The Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport has announced that it is considering extensive strengthening of its local air defense network, with a total budget of 6 billion Swiss francs ($7.21 billion). Two primary contenders have reached the final stage: the Barak MX system, produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and the French SAMP/T NG system, produced by the Eurosam consortium, a joint venture between Thales and MBDA.
Switzerland seeks to avoid reliance on a single supplier
The Federal Department of Defence in Bern intends that the selected system should complement the US Patriot system, which is already in service with the Swiss military. The budget is primarily earmarked for the procurement of the new system, as well as for expanding the use of the existing Patriot systems. The Swiss justify this significant investment in strengthening their air defense capabilities by the need to protect larger areas, while also aiming to avoid dependence on a single supplier or supply chain, a consideration that is particularly pressing in the current highly fragile international geopolitical situation. Both models have passed the initial screening in the Swiss tender, in which four different proposals were evaluated.
The Israeli Barak MX system supports a variety of radars and launchers, providing coverage against fighter jets, helicopters, UAVs, cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and surface-to-surface missiles. The system allows for the integration of different interceptor missiles: the short-range (35 km) Barak MRAD, which is vertically launched at high speed and features a radar seeker and a single-pulse motor; the medium-range (70 km) Barak LRAD, also vertically launched at high speed, featuring a radar seeker and a dual-pulse motor; and the long-range (150 km) Barak ER, which is vertically launched and equipped with a booster, a dual-pulse rocket motor, and an advanced radar seeker.
The motors for the Barak MX interceptors are manufactured by Israeli state-owned company Tomer, which is considered a national center of expertise in this field. The only variant currently in service with the IDF Air Defense Array is the LRAD, which is installed on the Israeli Navy’s Sa'ar 6-class corvettes. Internationally, the system has achieved wide distribution, including in Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco, as well as in European Union member states such as Cyprus, Slovakia, and Greece (as part of the major "Achilles Shield" deal).
On the other hand, there is the French SAMP/T NG (Sol-Air Moyenne-Portée/Terrestre Nouvelle Génération), an advanced version of the legacy SAMP/T system previously fielded by the French and Italian militaries. This air defense system is designed to counter aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs, and ballistic missiles, with a maximum interception range comparable to that of the Barak MX (approximately 150 km). Currently, the system is operated by France and Italy, and Denmark has also recently acquired it. Ukraine, which operates batteries from the previous generation, has expressed interest in obtaining these advanced systems but has not yet made a purchase.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on November 2, 2026.
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