The Swiss Armed Forces have chosen SPIKE LR2 as their new anti-tank missile system and plan to propose its acquisition to Parliament in the 2024 Armed Forces Dispatch.
SPIKE LR2 will be replacing the Swiss Army’s anti-tank armored personnel carrier Panzerjager 90, which is set to be decommissioned after being procured in 1990.
The vehicle’s main armament, the TOW (Tube launched, Opticallly tracked, Wire guided) anti-tank guided missile, was procured over 30 years ago and has been the vehicle’s primary weapon system. The motion for decommissioning was approved by Parliament in 2018, and the process is scheduled to begin in 2024.
The Swiss defense procurement agency armasuisse conducted a market analysis and contacted multiple manufacturers for information on anti-tank guided missiles, ultimately selecting the SPIKE LR2 weapon system after finding two manufacturers meeting the military requirements.
Initially, the chosen SPIKE LR2 system will be utilized on a mobile basis by the infantry, without integration into a carrier platform. However, the option to integrate the system into vehicles at a later stage remains open.
The SPIKE LR2 is an anti-tank guided missile system produced by Eurospike, a joint venture between Diehl Defence GmbH, Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. It is designed for use against armored vehicles, fortifications, and bunkers. The system can be used on a mobile basis by infantry or integrated into carrier platforms at a later stage.
Several countries adopted the SPIKE LR2 anti-tank guided missile system, including Germany, Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Croatia, Spain, Romania, Greece, and Slovakia.
