Switzerland procures 36 US fighter jets in peace time

Switzerland has entered into a contract agreement to procure 36 US F-35 stealth fighter jets form the United States (US), at the cost of over $6.2 billion. Switzerland signed the armament contract with the US at a time the country is not under threat of war.

Armasuisse, Switzerland’s arms procurement agency, highlighted: “National Armaments Director Martin Sonderegger and the Swiss F-35A Program Manager Darko Savic signed the procurement contract on 19 September 2022 at armasuisse in Bern.

“With this, the procurement of 36 F-35A is contractually agreed.”

The F-35s will be delivered between 2027 and 2030.

The contract has enlisted Switzerland among European countries, which include Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland, that are building up stealth multi-role combat aircraft to strengthen their security system.

National Daily learnt that Swiss voters had already narrowly approved in September 2020 spending six billion Swiss francs to replace the country’s fleet of ageing F/A-18 Hornets and F-5 Tigers.