Speaking to the SonntagsZeitung newspaper, Swiss Minister of Defence, Ueli Maurer said there are currently 120,000 professional Swiss soldiers and that that number must come down to 80,000. The number of reservists must also shrink from 80,000 to 40,000.
Mr Maurer also wants to reduce the number of heavy weapons, such as artillery and tanks. He said the times are changing and it is unlikely that a tank war will ever take place again in Europe.
He added that in reforming the army, Switzerland wants to place more emphasis on humanitarian missions to foreign countries.
