Switzerland is moving ahead with a modernisation of the country’s electronic warfare capabilities under the auspices of the Insigne programme.
Armasuisse, the country’s defence procurement agency, formally announced the Insigne programme on 12th February. The announcement states that Insigne will enhance the Swiss armed forces’ electronic attack and electronic support capabilities. Insigne is an outgrowth of the Sawfish Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In November 2025 the Federal Council, the country’s cabinet, concluded an agreement with Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands to deepen EW cooperation. The MOU lets Switzerland participate in joint EW procurements involving these countries.
According to Armasuisse’s announcement, the country is looking to deploy distributed, networked Electronic Support Measures (ESMs) to fulfil the electronic support component of the Insigne requirement. ESMs will detect, locate and identify potential electromagnetic threats. These threats will then be engaged by jammers. Insigne capabilities will be procured in several stages as per the country’s 2026 armament programme.
Insigne’s implementation is the responsibility of Armasuisse’s science and technology unit which is working with the joint Armed Forces Cyber Command, the Swiss Air Force and the country’s army. All three stakeholders are defining Insigne’s overall scope and requirements. To date, a pilot systems architecture, which will inform the larger Insigne architecture, has been developed. Associated testing is performed at the science and technology unit’s communications and information systems laboratories. The pilot architecture includes the ESMs and jammers discussed above along with communications for networking, and command and control systems.
An Armasuisse spokesperson told Armada that “Insigne … will comprise electromagnetic sensors and effectors with a modular structure that … can be flexibly adapted to evolving threats (that will be) integrated into the network of sensors, intelligence, command and effects”. Insigne’s software “will support EW command and control, recognised electromagnetic picture and electronic order-of-battle management, data analysis and intelligence dissemination to command posts”.
Interoperability
Armada understands that the funding for Insigne will be drawn from the $305 million that the 2026 Swiss defence budget earmarks for EW and cyber defence capabilities. A key requirement for Insigne is that the capabilities developed thus easily connect not only with Insigne’s associated network, but also with other Swiss platforms and capabilities. For example, an Insigne ESM may detect a radar signal from a hostile combat aircraft which may have, or be about to, violate Swiss airspace. It is imperative that this information can be shared with ease with the Swiss Air Force’s FLORAKO (Flight Operations Integrated Defence and Acquisition Radar and Communications System) integrated air defence system and forthcoming Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning combat aircraft. Such synergies demand robust, redundant communications links and associated protocols.
Current capabilities
According to Armada records, the Swiss military currently uses several, dedicated EW capabilities which are deployed with the country’s Armed Forces Cyber Command. The latter formation has two electronic warfare battalions and one Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) battalion. These latter formations possess twelve General Dynamics Piranha-IIIC Kompak-Pz eight-wheel drive SIGINT-configured armoured fighting vehicles. The country’s strategic Integrated Radio Surveillance and Transmitter System (IRSTS) employs a network of static and deployable ESMs to collect and process SIGINT. This intelligence is analysed by the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service. Deployable jamming in support of targets processed by the IRSTS is the preserve of eight Piranha-IIIC Mehrzwecksender (Multipurpose Transmitter) Mzs Pz SE-630 platforms.
The Armasuisse spokesperson confirmed to Armada that Insigne equipment will furnish the cyber command’s EW units. Associated procurements will begin in 2027 and “will be carried out in an iterative and phased manner so that the forces can be equipped with new capabilities as soon as possible”. Given the relatively young age of the Piranha-IIIC EW platforms, which entered service from 2012, Insigne will complement, rather than replace them. Insigne clearly represents an important enhancement to Swiss tactical, operational and strategic electronic warfare. Moreover, Insigne’s new capabilities will be truly joint, benefitting both the country’s air force and army.
by Dr. Thomas Withington
