Switzerland to cut F-35A buy as US denies fixed-price deal

Switzerland was to procure 36 F-35As, but growing costs set against a fixed budget mean that this order will now be trimmed to an undisclosed number. (US Department of Defense)

Switzerland is to cut the number of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft it plans to buy after the US refused the terms of a fixed-price deal requested by Bern.

The Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sport (DDPS) said on 12 December that instead of the planned buy of 36 F-35As, it would now purchase “the maximum possible number” of jets that it can get for the CHF6 billion (USD7.5 billion) it has allocated to the Air2030 procurement.

“Due to the foreseeable additional costs, it is not possible from a fiscal policy point of view to maintain the originally planned number of 36 F-35As. The Federal Council's decision does not require an additional loan and it complies with the will of the [Swiss] people,” the DDPS said.

As noted in the announcement, the Swiss government had throughout the Boreal summer tried to negotiate a fixed-term deal with the US, which had proven unsuccessful with Washington citing additional costs for inflation, development of raw material prices, and other factors.

Consequently, the DDPS reappraised the entire F-35A procurement, examining whether the requirements for Switzerland's air defence still corresponded to the principles on which the evaluation of the aircraft was based.