Switzerland confirmed it will proceed with the acquisition of F-35A stealth fighters, but the final number of aircraft will likely be lower than initially planned.
Instead of the 36 aircraft originally expected, the Swiss government now estimates it will purchase around 30 units due to rising program costs.
The decision was confirmed by the Swiss Federal Council on March 6, 2026, following a financial review of the project.
Higher costs led to revision of the plan
According to the government, factors such as global inflation, rising raw material prices, and other economic costs have increased the total value of the program.
To keep the purchase within the financial limit approved by voters, the Federal Council stated it will request an additional credit of 394 million Swiss francs from parliament.
The goal is to offset part of the extra costs that have arisen since the project was approved.
“The government of the United States is claiming additional costs related to inflation, raw material prices, and other factors,” the Federal Council explained in an official statement.
Program remains within the limit approved by voters
The project to acquire the new fighter jets was approved by the Swiss parliament in December 2019 and confirmed by the public in a national referendum held in September 2020.
At the time, a ceiling of 6 billion Swiss francs was established, based on prices from January 2018.
With inflation adjustments, this financial limit rose to approximately 6.429 billion Swiss francs by the end of 2025.
The new request for 394 million francs corresponds precisely to the difference between the maximum permitted amount and the previously approved funding of 6.035 billion francs.
Around 30 aircraft expected to be acquired
According to current projections from the Swiss Ministry of Defense, the new level of funding will allow the purchase of approximately 30 F-35A fighter jets.
Even so, the final number of aircraft will only be defined after future negotiations between the United States government and the manufacturers responsible for the remaining production batches.
A smaller fleet may have operational impact
The Swiss government acknowledged that a smaller fleet could impact the operational capacity of the country’s air defense, especially during periods of international tension.
Previous studies conducted by experts from the Ministry of Defense indicated that a complete air defense system adapted to current threats would require between 55 and 70 modern fighter jets.
Even so, officials stated that reducing the number of aircraft further or canceling the program was not considered viable, as it could seriously limit the country’s ability to protect its territory.
Deadline for final decision
To secure its place in the F-35 production line, Switzerland must confirm the final number of aircraft with the United States government by the second quarter of 2027.
Parliament’s approval of the additional credit will allow the country to finalize the aircraft order while keeping the program within the financial limit approved by voters.
About the F-35A
The F-35A is a fifth-generation fighter designed for multiple missions, including air superiority, precision strikes, and intelligence and surveillance operations.
The aircraft uses advanced sensors, data fusion, and networked communication systems that allow real-time information sharing on the battlefield.
Source and images: Swiss Federal Council | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
