Switzerland Cuts Planned F-35A Jets, Explores Enhanced Air Defense Options
In a statement, the Federal Council confirmed it will no longer move forward with the originally planned purchase of 36 F-35A aircraft. Instead, staying within the budget approved by voters, Switzerland now anticipates acquiring approximately 30 jets.
The government said it will request an extra credit of 394 million Swiss francs (over $504 million) from parliament to cover increased expenses caused by inflation, rising material costs, and other factors.
Acquiring the originally planned 36 jets would have required roughly 1.1 billion francs ($1.3 billion) in additional funding, which the government decided not to pursue for financial policy reasons.
The Federal Council emphasized that the revised plan remains within the financial limits set by the Swiss public in a 2020 referendum, which authorized up to 6 billion francs ($7.7 billion) for new fighter aircraft.
Separately, the government directed the Defense Ministry to examine the acquisition of an extra long-range ground-based air defense system, preferably produced in Europe, with the French-made SAMP/T system being a leading candidate.
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