Bern Reduces Fighter Jet Procurement Due To Cost Overruns
Switzerland has decided to cut its order of F-35A fighter jets from 36 to 30 due to a contract dispute with the US government over increased pricing. The Swiss Federal Council cited fiscal reasons for the reduction, stating that an additional 1.1 billion CHF would be needed to fund the original procurement plan. The Council has requested an extra 394 million CHF to cover increased costs related to inflation and raw materials. The F-35 program is part of Switzerland’s Air2030 effort, which also includes the procurement of Patriot long-range air defense systems. However, the delivery of these systems is expected to be delayed by 4-5 years due to the US decision to reprioritize supplies to Ukraine. This development was first reported by Breaking Defense.