Switzerland faces procurement shake-up with reduced F-35 buy and five-year Patriot delays
Switzerland initially sought to procure 36 F-35A aircraft. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
The reduction in the number of planned F-35A aircraft from 36 to 30 by the Swiss government comes due to budget constraints, with no firm plans to fill the gap despite “negative consequences”.
The Swiss government has said it is expecting to procure 30 F-35A aircraft, which is six fewer than initially disclosed due to rising costs. The reduced number will allow the procurement to stay within the total programme budget of CHF6 billion (US$7.54 billion).
The country’s defence minister Martin Pfister has confirmed Switzerland is now looking to buy “approximately 30 F-35As” with the exact number depending on future contract negotiations between manufacturer Lockheed Martin and the US government. This comes after the government confirmed in December 2025 it would be acquiring fewer jets than originally planned.
An additional CHF1.1 billion would be needed
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Can UK interceptor efforts keep pace with the rising drone threat?]()
Can UK interceptor efforts keep pace with the rising drone threat?
The recent acquisition announcement for Cambridge Aerospace’s Skyhammer solution is a key step in the UK’s efforts to bolster its counter-UAS capabilities, but more still needs to be done to tackle even smaller drone threats.
-
![Denmark air focus: $2.64 billion UAV market blends US imports with Nordic cooperation]()
Denmark air focus: $2.64 billion UAV market blends US imports with Nordic cooperation
While Denmark appears to be more committed to UAVs than most of its Nordic neighbours, its procurement efforts are likely to be split between American-made systems for its larger requirements and Nordic partnerships for smaller platforms.
-
![France earmarks further $11.6 billion for missiles and drones amid rearmament push]()
France earmarks further $11.6 billion for missiles and drones amid rearmament push
The revised funding allocation will see up to 23% of the additional budget put towards stockpiles of munitions, with the country’s GDP spending expected to reach 2.5% by 2030.
-
![UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns]()
UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns
The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.
