Switzerland Reintegrates Bunkers into the National Defence Strategy due to Russo-Ukrainian War

On 18 September 2023, Lieutenant General Süssli announced that Switzerland will halt the selling of bunkers and reintegrate them within the national defence strategy. This decision marks a significant change to Switzerland’s previous policy (Allen, 2023, para. 2). In 2010, the Swiss Defence Minister Maurer stated: “The nature of military threats has changed. The bunkers are poorly placed and the weapons they contain will only last for another ten or twenty years. It's not worth maintaining something that you're not going to use in the future” (Allen, 2023, para. 4).

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Germany Back with France on MGCS after Rumours of a Separate Tank Project with Italy, Spain and Sweden

On 11 September, Handelsblatt (2023) reported that Germany was moving away from the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), a Franco-German joint venture for the development of a next-generation main battle tank (MBT). On 22 September, however, a new meeting between the French and German MoDs rebuilt hope for the project, although postponing its delivery up to 2045 (Kayali et al., 2023).

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New Anti-Tank Missiles for the Belgian Armed Forces and the Development of European BLOS Capabilities

The Belgian Armed Forces will be supplied with 761 AKERON MP missiles. They will be integrated into Jaguar EBRC vehicles procured by Belgium under the Capacités Motorisée (CaMo) partnership. Delivery will begin in 2025 and is expected to continue until 2029. The new missiles are intended to replace SPIKE missiles, which will probably remain in service until 2030 (Army Recognition, 2023).

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Speeding Up The Operationalisation of The Rapid Deployment Capacity: The EU Gets Ready For The MILEX 23 Crisis Management Exercise

The European Union is preparing itself to hold its first live crisis management exercise as part of the incremental operationalisation of its Rapid Deployment Capacity (RDC) by 2025, aiming to enhance the designated EU Headquarters’ ability to plan, execute and oversee a Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) military operation by incorporating a live Battle Group-sized element (EEAS, 2023). In the long haul, the RDC should allow the deployment of a 5,000-troop modular force at different stages of an operation (entry, reinforcement or as reserve force) in a non-permissive environment (Cyber Risk, n.d.).

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Zelenskyy To Replace Defence Minister

On 3 September 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the replacement of the country’s defence minister. The cabinet reshuffle was made despite the apparent progress of Kyiv’s counteroffensive, which has seen its forces advancing into Russian-occupied areas. Oleksiy Reznikov’s dismissal as defence chief represents the most significant alteration within this government since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last year.

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