Switzerland will not buy all 36 F-35A fighter jets after U.S. cost increases.

Switzerland confirmed in December 2025 that it cannot procure all 36 planned F-35A fighter jets within the CHF 6 billion budget approved by voters in 2020.

Switzerland confirmed on December 12, 2025, that it cannot procure all 36 planned F-35A fighter jets after the Federal Council acknowledged it can no longer guarantee delivery within the CHF 6 billion cap approved in 2020. Additional costs communicated by the United States under the Foreign Military Sales framework, estimated at up to CHF 1.3 billion, exceed the approved financial ceiling, while any future expansion would require new parliamentary authorization.
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Switzerland’s path toward the F-35A began in the mid-2010s as part of the Air2030 program, launched to replace the aging F/A-18C-D Hornet and F-5 Tiger fleets while renewing ground-based air defense. (Picture source: US Air Force)

As reported by the Tages-Anzeiger, Switzerland’s acquisition of 36 F-35A fighter jets from the U.S. has entered a constrained implementation phase after the Federal Council acknowledged that it can no longer guarantee delivery of all planned aircraft within the CHF 6 billion (≈ $7.22 billion) ceiling approved by voters in September 2020. The government stated that additional costs communicated by the U.S., estimated at up to CHF 1.3 billion ($1.56 billion), make it impossible to fully respect the financial limit while maintaining the original fleet size. As a result, Bern confirmed it will procure the maximum possible number of F-35s within the approved envelope, ruled out requesting an immediate additional credit, and reiterated that outright cancellation of the F-35 program is not under consideration. At the same time, the Federal Council acknowledged that currently approved fighter and ground-based air defense programs provide only limited protection against airborne threats and do not fully meet long-term requirements.

The Federal Council tasked the defence ministry with presenting, by the end of January, an internal prioritization of requirements for 2026–2027 to determine how many aircraft can realistically be acquired within the CHF 6 billion framework. Any future effort to reach the originally planned 36 aircraft deal signed in 2022 would require new parliamentary approval and could potentially be subject to another public vote. Swiss authorities continue to refer to the 2017 “Air Defence of the Future” baseline, which remains largely valid and identifies a long-term requirement of 55 to 70 modern fighter aircraft. This creates a structural gap between the immediate procurement constrained by budgetary limits and the broader force structure objective that remains unchanged at the strategic level. Switzerland originally signed the F-35 procurement contract in September 2022 for 36 aircraft under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales framework, with deliveries planned from 2027 onward.

However, cost pressure is closely linked to the U.S. Foreign Military Sales framework, under which aircraft prices are determined by production lot rather than guaranteed as a single fixed amount over the entire program. Therefore, Swiss authorities have cited inflation in the United States, higher commodity prices, and U.S. tariff policies as contributing factors to the revised cost estimates. In July 2025, the United States imposed a 39 percent tariff on Swiss exports, which intensified political and financial pressure surrounding the fighter program. Negotiations between Switzerland and the United States on the interpretation of the fixed-price understanding ended without agreement in August 2025, prompting Bern to examine alternative courses of action, including reducing aircraft numbers, renegotiating offset arrangements, or seeking supplementary credit, either individually or in combination.

After a series of evaluations starting in 2019, Switzerland shortlisted the F-35A alongside the Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and F/A-18E-F Super Hornet, with assessments covering effectiveness, product support, cooperation, and costs over 30 years. In June 2021, the Federal Council selected the F-35A, a decision that remains politically sensitive due to the narrow margin of the 2020 referendum, which passed with 50.1 percent approval, and this sensitivity has been reinforced by parliamentary motions calling for suspension or reconsideration of the acquisition. Legal reviews confirmed that while some elements of the contract were fixed at certain stages, final aircraft prices remain determined by U.S. government processes. 

Lifecycle considerations have also fueled debate, with operating and support costs estimated at CHF 15.5 billion ($18.65 billion) over 30 years and no guarantees provided for long-term cost stability. Switzerland has already paid CHF 700 million ($842 million) toward the program and was scheduled to transfer an additional CHF 300 million ($361 million), limiting flexibility to withdraw without financial consequences. Configuration and modernization factors further complicate affordability, as Switzerland’s F-35A aircraft are associated with Technology Refresh 3 hardware intended to enable Block 4 software capabilities. This modernization path has been affected by delays, integration complexity, and higher-than-expected costs, including pending upgrades to cooling and propulsion subsystems. Switzerland selected the F-35A with the expectation of expanded weapons options, improved sensor fusion, and increased computing power, but near-term capability growth has been constrained by the pace of Block 4 development.

These factors have reinforced the need to synchronize aircraft deliveries with the gradual retirement of the Swiss Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet and F-5 Tiger fleets, a transition that authorities consider too advanced to reverse. Delivery planning reflects these constraints, with overall deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2030 and basing planned at Payerne, Emmen, and Meiringen to ensure nationwide air policing coverage. Switzerland signed a contract for an initial batch of eight aircraft, with further contracts for additional batches under negotiation, and early aircraft are expected to be tested in the United States before delivery. Some aircraft assembled domestically are slated for final acceptance in Cameri, Italy. Debate has also extended to weapons stocks, with claims that initial deliveries could include limited munitions, implying that several hundred million francs in additional purchases may be required to reach full operational capability, despite official statements that the CHF 6 billion package includes mission equipment and weapons.

Switzerland also has companies connected to the F-35 global supply chain, although this involvement is primarily driven by industrial offset obligations linked to Switzerland’s F-35A procurement rather than long-established production roles within the core program. For instance, the RIGI project, which received pre-approval in June 2024, allows RUAG to assemble and test four Swiss F-35A aircraft with technical support from Lockheed Martin. Kugler Bimetal SA, for its part, produces high-precision metallic and bimetal components suitable for aerospace applications such as actuation systems, hydraulic assemblies, and landing-gear related mechanisms. Suprem SA is involved through cooperation with Northrop Grumman, focusing on advanced continuous-fiber thermoplastic composites and additive manufacturing processes with potential relevance for aerospace structures and components. In parallel, at least 15 other Swiss companies are engaged indirectly through offset-related activities, covering areas such as precision machining, sensors, electronics, optics, mission systems, composites, software, and maintenance services.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.