Swiss set to buy six fewer F-35 fighter jets

Swiss to buy fewer F-35 fighter jets. Keystone-SDA

The Swiss army will probably receive only 30 new F-35 fighter jets instead of 36. This is the government's current assumption. It is forgoing an additional CHF1 billion ($1.25 billion) loan and is only requesting a CHF394 million loan to cover additional costs due to inflation.

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In December, Defence Minister Martin Pfister already indicated that Switzerland would not be able to purchase the originally planned number of 36 F-35 fighter jets from the manufacturer Lockheed Martin within the payment framework approved by the Swiss people in September 2020. The government confirmed this on Friday.

“The government is renouncing the original number of 36 aircraft,” it wrote in a statement. However, not buying any planes is not an option in view of the worsening security situation, it said.

The government is therefore looking for a middle way “within the financial volume approved by the people”. The maximum possible number of aircraft is to be procured, for financial policy reasons without an additional billion-franc loan, it said. According to the government, a further CHF1.1 billion would be required to purchase 36 jets.

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Without this additional credit, the defence ministry currently assumes that 30 F-35 fighter jets can be procured. The exact number can only be determined once the US government has negotiated the contracts with the manufacturers for the remaining aircraft and engines for the next production batches.

However, money must also be allocated for 30 aircraft. Specifically, parliament is to approve an additional credit of CHF394 million as part of the 2026 Armed Forces Dispatch in order to offset the additional costs claimed by the US for inflation, the development of commodity prices and other factors since the referendum. According to the government, this is in line with the will of the people.

The procurement of fewer fighter jets would have negative consequences for the air force’s sustainability and performance, the government wrote. According to an assessment by a group of experts from the defence ministry, 55 to 70 modern fighter jets would be required for comprehensive air defence geared to the current threat.

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Adapted from German by AI/ts

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