Switzerland has one of the largest armed forces in Europe. Military service and further training at intervals is compulsory for males, up to the age of 50. The army is organized so that 600,000 conscripts can be called up and armed in a few hours. The army still uses skis, bicycles and horses to protect the Alps. Bridges and tunnels are mined with explosives in accordance with a defense strategy drafted earlier this century. However, as in the rest of Europe, force numbers are being cut in response to the end of the Cold War. By 1995, the army will be two-thirds its current size. Switzerland is also considering allowing its armed troops to join UN peacekeeping operations.
