Defense Federal Council wants to buy fewer F-35 fighter jets due to additional costs
For the time being, Switzerland will buy fewer than the originally planned 36 F-35 fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin. This was decided by the Federal Council on Friday. It has left open how many aircraft will ultimately be purchased.
12.12.2025, 14:30
12.12.2025, 15:53
SDA
The national government wrote somewhat cryptically in a press release that Switzerland would procure the "maximum possible number of F-35 fighter jets". The purchase must remain within the financial framework of six billion francs approved by the electorate. The Federal Council has therefore ruled out an additional credit. "The will of the people will be respected," he wrote.
Due to the additional costs of up to CHF 1.3 billion unilaterally announced by the US in the summer for the planned purchase of 36 fighter aircraft, it was "not possible to maintain the originally planned number of 36 F-35s" for financial policy reasons, the Federal Council continued. Switzerland had not been able to enforce the contractually agreed fixed price of six billion Swiss francs.
By the end of January, the Department of Defence (DDPS) is now to present "an internal prioritization of requirements for the years 2026/2027", as the Federal Council went on to write. Once these questions have been clarified, it will decide on the possible procurement of additional F-35 jets to achieve the planned number of 36 fighter jets. However, this would then have to be decided again by Parliament, and possibly also by the people.
Up to seventy fighter jets in the medium term
According to the Federal Council, the procurement of new fighter jets and ground-based air defense systems already approved by parliament will only allow the army to protect Switzerland from airborne threats "to a limited extent". A complete abandonment of the F-35 purchase is therefore not an option.
The Federal Council also rejected the idea of partially offsetting the additional costs for the F-35 by foregoing offset transactions, as it wrote. These transactions would help to build up know-how in connection with the fighter aircraft in Switzerland and strengthen independence in maintenance.
In the medium term, the Federal Council intends to further strengthen air defense. The "Air Defense of the Future" report from 2017 serves as the basis for this work, the conclusions of which have "largely retained their validity", writes the national government. According to the report, Switzerland will need 55 to 70 modern fighter aircraft in the future - around twice as many as are now being procured with the F-35 purchase.
The Department of Defense is now examining the next steps - regardless of the aircraft type. "The maturity of new technologies and systems on the one hand and the urgency of the security situation on the other are important factors in the decision as to whether existing systems should be upgraded or new systems procured."
