Author: Federal Office of Armament armasuisse
Source: news.admin.ch
Publication date: December 2, 2025
Summary reading time: 3 minutes
Executive Summary
An ideas competition organized by armasuisse for environmentally friendly recovery of historical ammunition from Swiss lakes has identified three prize-worthy solution concepts from 214 submissions. Despite the successful concept identification, no concrete recovery operation is currently planned, as the ongoing environmental monitoring has not yet shown any negative effects from the 8,000 tons of sunken ammunition. The awarded concepts primarily serve as a basis for further research and potential future operations.
Critical Leading Questions
How long can the strategy of waiting and observing the sunken ammunition be justified when preventive recovery would be technically feasible?
What transparency standards should be applied to ongoing monitoring to ensure confidence in the harmlessness assessment?
To what extent could the developed recovery technologies serve as innovation exports and economic opportunities for Switzerland, given similar problems in many other countries?
Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives
Short-term (1 year):
Detailed technical evaluation and further development of the awarded concepts by armasuisse, accompanied by intensified environmental monitoring. Possible pilot tests in limited areas to validate environmental compatibility.
Medium-term (5 years):
Development of a hybrid approach combining elements of all three awarded concepts. International cooperation with countries that have similar ammunition legacy issues. Possibly selective recovery in particularly sensitive zones as a preventive measure.
Long-term (10-20 years):
Complete paradigm shift from the observation strategy to preventive recovery, conditional on stricter environmental regulations or new findings on long-term effects. The technologies developed in Switzerland could become the global standard for similar environmental problems.
Main Summary
Core Topic & Context
An expert panel has selected the three best proposals for environmentally friendly and safe recovery of ammunition from Swiss lakes. The Federal Office of Armament armasuisse had launched the competition to find new methods for recovering approximately 8,000 tons of ammunition that were sunk in three Swiss lakes between 1918 and 1964.
Key Facts & Figures
- 214 proposals were submitted in total
- First prize (30,000 CHF): Dutch companies with a concept of an air-filled diving bell
- Second prize (15,000 CHF): Helbling Technik Wil AG with a modified beach cleaning machine
- Third prize (5,000 CHF): Walo Bertschinger AG with a closed cube system
- Ammunition depth: 150 to 215 meters in Lakes Thun, Brienz, and Lucerne
- Sinking period: 1918 to 1964
Stakeholders & Affected Parties
- Federal Office of Armament armasuisse and DDPS as responsible authorities
- Winning companies from the Netherlands and Switzerland
- Residents and users of the affected lakes (tourism, fishing)
- Environmental associations and authorities with interest in the lake ecosystems
- Research institutions involved in monitoring
Opportunities & Risks
Opportunities:
- Development of innovative environmental technologies with export potential
- Preventive elimination of potential environmental risks
- Technological leadership in environmental remediation projects
Risks:
- Every recovery method poses risks to the sensitive ecosystem
- High costs for potentially unnecessary recovery measures
- Complex technical challenges at great water depths
Action Relevance
Currently, no immediate recovery operation is planned as long as monitoring shows no negative environmental impacts. The awarded concepts serve as a basis for further clarifications and research projects. For interested stakeholders, a media technical discussion will be held in January 2026, for which one can register at [email protected].
References
Primary source:
Press release: Ideas competition for ammunition recovery decided
Supplementary sources:
- Press release dated 6.2.2025: Ideas competition – nearly 100 ideas received
- Press release dated 7.8.2024: armasuisse launches ideas competition
- Information on "Ammunition in Swiss Lakes," "Innovation Spaces DDPS"