Switzerland has announced plans to reduce its planned purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighter jets from 36 to about 30 after the United States increased the price of the aircraft. The adjustment comes as Bern reassesses its broader defense posture to address evolving security challenges across Europe.
The F-35A, already operated by the United States Air Force and several European nations, was selected by Switzerland in June 2021 over competitors including the Eurofighter Typhoon from Airbus, the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet from Boeing, and the Dassault Rafale built by Dassault Aviation. However, disagreements over final costs have emerged after Washington cited rising inflation and higher raw material and energy prices. Switzerland wants to maintain the originally approved budget of just over 6 billion Swiss francs ($7.7 billion), a figure endorsed by voters in a 2020 referendum.
According to Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister, purchasing the initially planned 36 aircraft would require an additional 1.1 billion francs, prompting the government to reconsider the fleet size. The final number will depend on ongoing negotiations between the U.S. government and manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
At the same time, Switzerland is reassessing its air defense strategy. While it still intends to acquire the MIM-104 Patriot missile defense system, Bern is also considering an additional European surface-to-air defense system after delivery delays. The delay came after Washington informed Swiss authorities that five Patriot units originally allocated to Switzerland were being redirected to Ukraine.
Citing rising geopolitical tensions and hybrid threats, the Swiss government said the military may require up to 31 billion Swiss francs to strengthen national defense. To fund the effort, officials are proposing a temporary increase in value-added tax by 0.8 percentage points for 10 years and the creation of a dedicated armament fund, with a referendum on the plan potentially taking place in mid-2027.
