Renewed Controversy In Switzerland Over US Fighter Jets Explained

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The Swiss defence ministry has repeatedly assured the public that 36 American-made F-35A fighter jets would be delivered at a fixed price of CHF6 billion ($7.5 billion). Now the United States is demanding hundreds of millions more, sparking consternation and debate in the Alpine nation. This content was published on July 2, 2025 - 09:00 9 minutes

I work as editor and correspondent at the Federal Palace. I report on Swiss politics for the Swiss Abroad and manage our political talk show Let's Talk. I started in local journalism in the early nineties and have worked in many journalistic fields, held management positions and covered a range of topics. I joined SWI swissinfo in 2017.

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Why is the F-35A costing Switzerland more than promised?

The United States government is demanding more money for jets, citing higher material costs and inflation. This contrasts sharply with years of assurances by then-defence minister Viola Amherd that Switzerland would receive the aircraft from the US at a fixed price. Amherd stepped down in March 2025.

The Swiss government maintains that a fixed price was agreed upon. In a letter, the US described this as a“misunderstanding”. As a legal recourse is excluded under the terms of the contract, Switzerland is now seeking a diplomatic solution.

According to the US Department of Defense, the order with manufacturer Lockheed Martin is only finalised when the aircraft go into production – at a price that is not set until that time. The fixed price mentioned in the contracts applies to this stage of the process, and not to the overall procurement, according to the US perspective.

Switzerland estimates the additional costs to the original price tag will range between CHF650 million and CHF1.3 billion.

Even back in May 2022, the Swiss Federal Audit Office found that there was“legal uncertainty on the meaning of a fixed price for procurement”. The defence ministry vehemently dismissed this warning, pointing to legal assessments it had made.

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