US Circumvents Payment Freeze on Patriot Air Defense System

The US has circumvented a Swiss payment freeze on the Patriot air defense system by redirecting $126 million from the Foreign Military Sales program. The move has opened budget gaps in Switzerland’s F-35 acquisition program, which was already marked by cost overruns. The diversion has drawn criticism from Swiss politicians, who have called for the cancellation of the Patriot purchase. The US is now considering alternative air defense systems, including the SAMP/T developed by Eurosam.