Switzerland has signed a first contract with Lockheed Martin for the delivery of eight F-35 fighter jets, marking the first concrete step in its long-planned rearmament programme, reported RTS. The agreement, signed on September 29th, was confirmed this week by Armasuisse, the federal procurement agency. Two further contracts, covering the remaining 28 aircraft, are still under negotiation.
The first jets are currently undergoing testing in the United States and are due to arrive in Switzerland between 2027 and 2029. A second batch of eight aircraft, to be assembled in Italy, is expected from 2028, with the final 20 scheduled for delivery the following year. The timetable reflects the defence minister Martin Pfister’s determination to press ahead with the programme.
Switzerland has ordered a total of 36 F-35s. But the price remains uncertain. Armasuisse has declined to disclose the cost of the initial contract, and the overall bill is becoming politically sensitive. In a narrow referendum in 2020, voters approved a budget of CHF 6bn ($7.5bn) for the fleet. Since then, costs have risen sharply. Mr Pfister has warned that overruns could reach as much as CHF 1.3bn, citing inflation and higher energy and raw-material prices. The Swiss franc has risen by around 14% against the US dollar since the vote in 2020. That helps a little—the US side is pushing a price denominated in US dollars.
To contain the increase, the government is weighing options that include reducing the size of the order. For now, however, Armasuisse is still proceeding on the basis of the full complement of 36 aircraft. The Federal Council is expected to clarify its position in the coming weeks.
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