- Switzerland confirmed it will proceed with the F-35A fighter jet procurement but expects to acquire about 30 aircraft instead of the originally planned 36 due to rising program costs.
- The Swiss Federal Council will request an additional 394 million Swiss francs from parliament to cover inflation and raw material cost increases while remaining within the voter-approved funding ceiling.
The Swiss Federal Council confirmed on March 6, 2026, that Switzerland will proceed with the acquisition of Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets but will no longer pursue the originally planned fleet of 36 aircraft due to financial constraints.
Instead, the government intends to purchase the maximum number of aircraft possible within the financial framework approved by voters.
Rising costs linked to inflation, raw material prices, and other economic factors have increased the overall price of the aircraft program, prompting the government to revise the expected fleet size.
In a statement issued in Bern, the Federal Council reaffirmed its earlier decision from December 12, 2025, directing the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS) to acquire the highest possible number of F-35A aircraft within the authorized budget ceiling. The government confirmed that it will request an additional credit of 394 million Swiss francs from parliament as part of the 2026 Armed Forces message.
The Federal Council said the additional credit is intended to offset rising program costs. “The USA are claiming additional costs for inflation, the development of raw material prices and other factors,” the government said in its announcement.
The funding request would raise the available program budget to the maximum amount allowed under the financial framework approved by voters. The Swiss parliament adopted the federal decree on the procurement of new fighter aircraft on December 20, 2019, and the Swiss electorate approved the measure in a national referendum on September 27, 2020.
Under that decision, the program was authorized with a spending ceiling of 6 billion Swiss francs based on the consumer price index of January 2018. Adjusted for inflation, the maximum indexed amount had risen to approximately 6.429 billion Swiss francs by the end of 2025.
The government said the additional 394 million Swiss francs corresponds to the difference between the maximum financial framework and the previously approved commitment credit of 6.035 billion Swiss francs. The request will be submitted to parliament under Article 27 paragraph 1 of the Swiss Federal Finance Act.
According to current projections by the defense ministry, the revised funding level will likely allow Switzerland to acquire approximately 30 F-35A fighter aircraft. However, officials said the final number will only be determined after the United States government negotiates contracts with manufacturers for the remaining aircraft and engines in future production batches.
“Currently the VBS assumes that with this additional credit 30 F-35A fighter aircraft can be procured,” the Federal Council stated.
The government also examined options that would have allowed the purchase of the originally planned fleet of 36 aircraft. According to the announcement, achieving that goal would require an additional credit of around 1.1 billion Swiss francs. The Federal Council said it decided not to pursue such a request for financial policy reasons.
Despite the reduction in aircraft numbers, the government acknowledged that operating fewer than 36 fighters carries operational consequences. Officials said a smaller fleet could affect Switzerland’s ability to sustain air defense operations during periods of heightened tension or conflict.
The Federal Council noted that an expert group from the defense ministry previously assessed that a comprehensive air defense system suited to the current threat environment would require between 55 and 70 modern fighter aircraft.
Nevertheless, the government said options that would further reduce the F-35A fleet were rejected on security policy grounds. These alternatives included withdrawing from the contract altogether.
According to the Federal Council, abandoning the program would create serious limitations in Switzerland’s ability to protect its territory and population even under normal conditions.
The government also emphasized the need to secure aircraft production slots within the F-35 manufacturing schedule. Switzerland must confirm its final aircraft quantity to the United States government no later than the second quarter of 2027 in order to retain its place in the production timeline.
To meet that deadline, the additional funding request will be presented to parliament through the 2026 Armed Forces message. Approval would allow Switzerland to finalize its aircraft order while remaining within the financial framework approved by voters.
The F-35A is a fifth-generation stealth fighter designed for multi-role missions including air superiority, strike operations, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The aircraft is equipped with advanced sensors, data-fusion systems, and networked communications that allow it to share battlefield information