30 instead of 36 Martin Pfister wants to buy fewer F-35 fighter jets - at least for the time being
Defense Minister Pfister wants to reduce the purchase of 36 F-35 fighter jets to 30 in order not to exceed the cost ceiling of six billion Swiss francs.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Defense Minister Pfister is planning to buy only 30 instead of 36 F-35 fighter jets for the time being in order to keep within the cost ceiling of six billion Swiss francs.
- There are currently no plans to completely dispense with the remaining jets.
- Its strategy is based on the results of a working group that was set up in view of the additional costs demanded by the USA.
According to "SonntagsBlick", Defense Minister Martin Pfister wants to buy 30 instead of 36 F-35 fighter jets for the time being. In this way, he wants to keep within the cost ceiling of six billion Swiss francs approved by the electorate.
However, the newspaper reported, citing several sources from the Federal Administration, that this does not mean that the remaining aircraft will not be purchased. In a later phase, Pfister wants to keep open the possibility of acquiring up to ten more F-35s. The Federal Council will soon decide on how to proceed with the jet purchase.
After the USA demanded additional costs of between 750 million and 1.3 billion francs for the 36 fighter jets and questioned the originally agreed fixed price of six billion francs, Pfister set up a working group in the summer. Its findings now form the basis for his future strategy.