Switzerland cuts F-35 stealth fighter order from 36 to 30 after failed price talks with US.

The Swiss Federal Council confirmed that Switzerland will continue acquiring the F-35A fighter aircraft but plans to reduce the order to about 30 units due to rising costs, as pricing discussions with the United States currently remain unresolved.

The Swiss Federal Council confirmed that Switzerland will reduce its F-35A stealth fighter order from 36 to about 30 units following cost increases and a pricing disagreement with the United States during contract interpretation talks in 2025. Therefore, the Swiss government will request an additional $505 million credit to offset inflation while keeping the F-35A fighter acquisition within the approved Air2030 spending limit approved by voters.
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Switzerland now plans to reduce its F-35A fighter order from 36 to about 30 units after rising costs and unsuccessful pricing talks with the United States, to remain within the approved credit line. (Picture source: US Air Force)

On March 6, 2026, the Swiss Federal Council confirmed that Switzerland will continue the acquisition of the F-35A fighter jet but will reduce the expected order from the originally planned 36 aircraft to about 30 in order to remain within the financial framework approved by voters. The government decided to request an additional credit of 394 million Swiss francs ($505,000,000) from parliament in the 2026 army message to compensate for inflation and other cost increases affecting the program. Switzerland aims to secure production slots in the F-35A manufacturing schedule by communicating the final quantity to the United States government by the second quarter of 2027.

The reduction of the planned fleet also follows unsuccessful negotiations between Switzerland and the United States in August 2025 regarding the interpretation of the F-35A contract price, due to higher costs linked to inflation, raw material price increases, and other economic factors affecting the procurement process. The procurement framework for Switzerland’s next-generation fighter fleet originates from a federal decree adopted by parliament on December 20, 2019, and approved by the population in a referendum on September 27, 2020. That decision authorized a maximum spending ceiling of CHF 6 billion ($7,697,000,000) for the acquisition of new combat aircraft, calculated using the national consumer price index as of January 2018.

By the end of 2025, the indexed ceiling had risen to CHF 6.429 billion ($8,247,000,000). The contract signed in September 2022 covered 36 F-35A aircraft with an approved commitment credit of CHF 6.035 billion ($7,742,000,000). Financial projections later showed that maintaining the full order would require an additional CHF 1.1 billion ($1,411,000,000), which the Federal Council decided not to request for fiscal reasons. Instead of pursuing the larger credit required to maintain the original quantity, the government opted to remain within the approved financial envelope while requesting a smaller supplementary credit of CHF 394 million ($505,000,000) to compensate for cost increases.

This additional funding corresponds to the difference between the indexed financial ceiling and the credit already approved for the fighter acquisition. Current estimates indicate that with this supplementary amount, the available funds could support the purchase of about 30 F-35A aircraft. The final number will depend on the prices determined once the United States government completes negotiations with Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney for upcoming production lots and engines. The Swiss defense ministry, therefore, cannot determine the exact number of aircraft until those negotiations are concluded. Swiss authorities acknowledged that reducing the fighter fleet below the planned 36 aircraft will have operational implications, particularly regarding endurance and sustained operations during periods of heightened tensions or conflict.

A lower number of fighter jets reduces the Swiss Air Force's ability to maintain continuous air patrols or support prolonged missions if operational demands increase. Assessments conducted within the Swiss defense establishment previously concluded that a comprehensive air defense posture aligned with the evolving threat environment would require between 55 and 70 modern combat aircraft. Under the current financial framework, the future fleet will remain significantly below that level. The Federal Council nevertheless rejected options that would have reduced the number further or terminated the contract entirely, citing the negative consequences for the protection of national territory and population.

The F-35 acquisition also forms part of the broader Air2030 modernization program designed to replace the aging F/A-18 Hornet and F-5 Tiger fleets while strengthening Switzerland’s integrated air defense system. The modernization effort combines new combat aircraft with ground-based air defense systems intended to counter airborne threats and missile attacks. Switzerland has already ordered the Patriot long-range air defense system from the United States, as well as the IRIS-T SLM system for medium range defense. Together, these systems are intended to provide a layered defensive architecture capable of detecting and intercepting aircraft, cruise missiles, and other aerial threats. The F-35A fleet is expected to provide the airborne component of that architecture by performing air policing missions and supporting broader air defense operations.

Compared with the existing Swiss F/A-18C/D Hornet, the F-35A integrates the AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar with about 1,676 transmit-receive modules and a detection capability exceeding 150 km against airborne targets, while the legacy Hornet relies on mechanically scanned radar systems such as the AN/APG-73 that operate with slower beam steering and lower data processing capacity. The AESA radar can perform air-to-air tracking, ground mapping, and electronic warfare functions simultaneously through its multifunction array architecture. The F-35A also integrates data from radar, infrared sensors and electronic warfare systems through automated sensor fusion, presenting a single tactical picture to the pilot rather than multiple separate sensor displays.

The F-35A is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135 engine generating about 43,000 lbf of thrust, compared with the two F404 engines of the Hornet producing only about 36,000 lbf combined. The F-35A has a combat radius of about 669 nautical miles and can carry up to 18,000 lb of weapons internally and externally, while the Hornet typically relies on external pylons that increase radar signature and aerodynamic drag. The technological gap between the F-35A and the F-5 Tiger II used by Switzerland for training and limited air defense tasks is larger because the F-5 design originates from the late 1950s and was optimized primarily for low cost and simplicity. The F-5E/F Tiger II is powered by two General Electric J85 engines and was built as a lightweight supersonic fighter, but with limited avionics and small radar systems compared with modern aircraft.

The F-35A integrates a stealth airframe with a radar cross-section below about 0.005 m² in the frontal axis, radar-absorbent materials and internal weapons bays, reducing detection distance by hostile radars compared with aircraft carrying external stores. Its AN/APG-81 AESA radar can detect and track targets at distances exceeding 150 km and is integrated with infrared sensors and electro-optical targeting systems to detect aircraft or ground targets simultaneously. The F-35A also carries about 18,250 lb of internal fuel and has a combat radius of about 669 nautical miles, whereas the smaller F-5 has far lower fuel capacity and mission endurance due to its compact airframe. These differences translate into a larger detection range, higher sensor integration and greater strike capacity for the F-35A compared with the earlier generation fighter architecture represented by the F-5.

Swiss defense planning has also been affected by delays in the delivery schedule of the Patriot air defense system. Authorities indicated that deliveries could be delayed by four to five years because the United States has prioritized the supply of Patriot systems for Ukraine. This delay creates a potential capability gap in long-range ground-based air defense during the period before the Patriot units become operational in Switzerland. The government therefore decided to maintain the Patriot procurement while simultaneously examining the acquisition of a second long range air defense system to reduce the operational risk created by the delay. Such a system would complement the existing air defense structure and strengthen protection against long-range threats.

The Swiss Federal Council, therefore, instructed the defense ministry to examine options for a second long-range air defense system that would preferably be produced in Europe or manufactured within Europe. The objective is to diversify supply chains and reduce dependence on a single supplier while improving the availability of critical air defense capabilities. The procurement would require a separate decision and financing within the regular defense budget through a future army message submitted to parliament. Switzerland intends to evaluate all systems that meet its operational requirements before selecting a candidate. The two Swiss decision processes also reflect a time when increasing procurement timelines, higher prices, and strong international demand for military equipment affect a broad number of defense programs across Europe.

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.