Swiss government sets sights on F-35A fighter jet fleet
Switzerland looks set to choose the US option over European competitors following months of intense lobbying.
Keystone / Giuseppe Lami
The Swiss government wants to upgrade the country’s air defence system by buying 36 F-35A fighter aircraft from United States manufacturer Lockheed Martin and five Patriot surface-to-air missile units from another US firm Raytheon.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Español
es
El Gobierno de Suiza propone la compra de cazas F-35A
The Federal Council (governing body) will ask parliament to approve the dual purchase on the basis that they offer the best value for money and technical specifications compared to rival bids.
Costing just over CHF5 billion ($5.4 billion), the F-35A jets can be bought under the CHF6 billion budget narrowly approved by Swiss voters in a hotly contested referendum last September.
The bill is also around CHF2 billion cheaper than other aircraft that were also considered – Boeing’s Super Hornet, Dassault’s Rafale, and Airbus’s Eurofighter Typhoon. The government’s choice of aircraft followed several months of intense lobbying from both Europe and the US to try to win the lucrative order.
Replacing Switzerland’s ageing fleet of F-5 Tigers and F/A-18 Hornet jets has proved far from a straightforward process. In 2014, voters rejected the first plan to buy Gripen jetsExternal link from the Swedish Saab manufacturer, forcing the defence ministry to go back to the drawing board.
The Group for a Switzerland without an Army (GSoA) said on Wednesday that it would launch another referendum to challenge the choice of F-35A, together with the Green Party and Social Democrats.
The Green Liberal Party stated that it would examine the environmental impact of the fighter jet choice.
The Patriot missile systems will cost CHF1.97 billion, which the government says is less expensive than the one other rival bid. Over the course of 30 years’ service, the F-35A aircraft are expected to cost the public purse CHF15.5 billion with an additional CHF3.6 billion attributed to the Patriot missiles.
“The Federal Council is confident that these two systems are the most suitable for protecting the Swiss population from air threats in the future,” stated a press release on June 30. It also states that 36 aircraft are adequate to protect Switzerland and to ensure that its airspace is not used by foreign parties in the event of a conflict.
Liberal Greens join launch of initiative on parental leave
This content was published on
The Liberal Greens (PVL) together with an alliance of representatives from economic, social and political circles are launching an initiative for an 18-week "family leave." This was decided today by delegates meeting in Thun (BE).
Palestinian solidarity demonstration draws 2,000 people in Geneva
This content was published on
About 2,200 people took to the streets in Geneva today to show solidarity with the Palestinian poopolo and to denounce Swiss policy in the Middle East. The demonstration had been called by the BDS ("boycott, désinvestissement et sanctions") organization.
The 13th edition of Art Genève takes over Palexpo from Thursday
This content was published on
The 13th edition of Art Genève takes place at Palexpo from Thursday to Sunday. A total of 81 international modern and contemporary art galleries will be exhibiting their works. Also on show: 22 institutional projects.
First day of balloon festival in Château d’Oex cancelled
This content was published on
The first day of the International Balloon Festival in Château-d'Oex (VD) has been cancelled due to wind, organizers announced on Saturday. However, entertainment and captive flights will continue.
Swiss survey finds employee productivity rises with sense of belonging
This content was published on
A good team increases productivity. 81% of employees in Switzerland perform better when they feel a sense of community with their colleagues.
Swiss People’s Party launches fight against EU ‘submission treaty’
This content was published on
Three parties are holding their delegates' meetings this Saturday. The SVP Switzerland wants to rally its party base to fight against the treaty package negotiated with the EU. The Greens and GLP want to launch the popular initiative for more family time.
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.
Read more
More
Wafer-thin majority approves new fighter jets
This content was published on
By a margin of just 9,000 votes, Swiss citizens have given a cautious all-clear for a multi-billion purchase of new fighter jets for the air force.
This content was published on
The Swiss Air Force will be on standby 24/7 from Thursday, when two F/A-18 fighter jets will be ready to take off, fully armed, within 15 minutes.
US approves sale of jets and missiles to Switzerland
This content was published on
The US State Department has given the green light for the potential sale of two types of fighter jets and missile systems to Switzerland.
Swiss shortlist US, France and Israel for new air defence system
This content was published on
Switzerland has asked the US, France and Israel to submit proposals to supply the country’s new long-range ground-to-air missile defence system.
This content was published on
Switzerland starts the competition to replace its ageing fighter jets, by inviting five European and US companies to submit their bids.
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.