Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Lockheed Martin is ahead in Swiss fighter jet evaluation, says TV report

Lockheed Martin s F-35A in the air.
Unnamed sources told SRF that a press release about the purchase of the F-35 had already been drafted - but the entire Federal Council could still decide otherwise. Keystone / Yonhap

Lockheed Martin's F35-A has come out top in a Swiss evaluation to find a new replacement fighter jet for the armed forces, Swiss public television SRF reported on Monday.

The government is due to decide this month between the American F35-A, the Airbus Eurofighter, the French Rafale from Dassault and another US-made fighter jet – Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet.

“According to insiders, the preparations for the eagerly awaited Federal Council (executive body) decision are well advanced. A media release about the purchase of the F-35 has already been drafted – but the entire Federal Council could still decide otherwise,” SRF said on MondayExternal link, citing three independent unnamed sources.

The sources told SRF that: “Switzerland can buy a larger number of F-35s with the budgeted CHF6 billion than would be the case with the three competitors. The F-35’s simulator could also be an asset. It would allow the F-35 to carry out significantly more virtual training missions than with the competition.”
 

swissinfo.ch

The defence ministry declined to comment.

On September 27, Swiss voters narrowly approved a CHF6 billion funding packet that allows the armed forces to go ahead with the purchase of new fighter jets to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 Tigers and F/A-18 Hornet jets by 2030. New jets are to be delivered by 2025.

At least two of the seven Federal Council members would prefer a European fighter jet, SRF said.

Critics, who include the Group for a Switzerland without an Army, the leftwing Social Democratic Party and the Green Party, have promised to launch a referendum against any decision to buy a US fighter jet.

More

Debate
Hosted by: Domhnall O’Sullivan

Is it a good idea for citizens to vote on national security issues?

In Switzerland, citizens can torpedo the plans of their own air force to buy new equipment. Is this direct democracy overstepping its bounds?

10 Comments
View the discussion

Most Read
Swiss Abroad

Most Discussed

News

Trump names Callista Gingrich ambassador to Switzerland

More

Trump picks Callista Gingrich as ambassador to Switzerland

This content was published on Incoming United States president Donald Trump has named Callista Gingrich as the next ambassador to Switzerland. Gingrich was posted to the Vatican under Trump's previous term.

Read more: Trump picks Callista Gingrich as ambassador to Switzerland

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR