The Swiss Army

1989

8 minutes - English

They have more heavy artillery than France and Britain combined. 
Their arsenal of 300 combat aircraft and 20,000 rocket launchers is ready to go at any minute. Recruits are well-trained and prepared for combat.
But the Swiss army is better known for sitting out on wars than engaging in battle.
While they have not attacked anyone for over 200 years, that doesn't mean they don't practice. The Swiss Armed Forces are a well-rehearsed group of fighters with a simple objective: defend their country's neutrality and use their firepower to dissuade aggressors before a war even begins.
60 Minutes flew above the skies of Switzerland in military helicopters and met with current and former Swiss army officials on the ground to see how neutrality, rugged terrain and firepower mix.