In the 1960s and 1970s , the armed forces were organised according to the " Armee 61 " structure . Horse mounted cavalry ( specifically dragoons ) were retained for combat roles until 1973 , and were the last non-ceremonial horse cavalry in Europe , as were bicycle infantry battalions until 2001 . Since 1989 , there have been several attempts to curb military activity or even abolish the armed forces altogether . A notable referendum on the subject was held on 26 November 1989 and , although defeated , did see a significant percentage of the voters in favour of such an initiative . However , a similar referendum , called for before , but held shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001 in the US , was defeated by over 77 % of voters
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Swiss Armed Forces