US F-35 jets could cost Switzerland ‘more than CH1 billion extra’

The F-35 jet deal has been a source of controversy Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

The United States is trying to charge Switzerland up to CHF1.5 billion more for 36 F-35 fighter jets that were ordered in 2021, according to Swiss public broadcaster SRF.

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Former Defense Minister Viola Amherd always asserted that Switzerland would receive the stealth jets at a fixed price of around CHF6 billion. But SRF research now shows that the US sees things differently and is demanding significantly more.

A referendum in September 2020 was extremely close: 50.1% of voters approved the purchase of new fighter jets. In the voting booklet, the Federal Council stated at the time that “a maximum of six billion Swiss francs has been earmarked.”

After the government decided in June 2021 in favor of the US F-35 fighter jet, then Defense Minister Viola Amherd assured that the US would guarantee a fixed price.

Freelance journalist Beni Gafner has been covering the Swiss Armed Forces for years. He has spoken with various sources in the federal administration in recent weeks and, speaking to SRF, concluded that the Federal Council is facing massive additional costs for the F-35.

“Viola Amherd knew about these additional costs since summer 2024, but only informed the Federal Council in December of last year,” Gafner summarizes in his research. Various figures regarding the additional costs are circulating within the federal administration. “They’re talking about CHF1.3 billion to CHF1.5 billion,” Gafner says.

Increased production costs

Two confidential sources from the federal administration also confirmed to SRF that the US would demand more, arguing that no fixed price had been negotiated with Switzerland. The issue is so sensitive that the defence ministry has held two secret meetings with other Federal Council members since the beginning of the year. The US government is apparently primarily citing increased production costs as the reason for the higher price.

Switzerland did not purchase the F-35 fighter jets directly from the manufacturer Lockheed Martin, as is common practice in the US, but rather through the US government. US government officials also assured Switzerland of a fixed price in 2021 and noted that the US had always adhered to these fixed prices for Switzerland in the past.

Financial control doubts

However, the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) cast doubt on these fixed prices in a 2021 investigation. It concluded: “In the SFAO’s opinion, there is no legal certainty for a fixed price in the sense of a lump sum under Swiss law for the procurement of the F-35A.”

A rumor has also been circulating in parliament for several weeks that the F-35 jets would become significantly more expensive. Social Democrat parliamentarian Fabian Molina confronted current Defense Minister Martin Pfister with the potential additional costs last week. Pfister explained that they believe it is a fixed price, and: “Should the situation change, we will inform you.”

The defence ministry declined to comment to SRF on potential additional costs, referring to Pfister’s statements that the public would be informed if the situation changed.

According to SRF research, the ministry hopes that the US government in particular will be able to negotiate the price down with the manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Adapted from German by DeepL/mga

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