Air2030 Programme and Evaluation
¶ Political decisions: as of 6 September 2026
New political decisions checked on 6 September 2026; earlier background retains its stated reference date.
16.06.2026 — The Council of States approved the Armed Forces Dispatch 2026, including an additional CHF 394 million for an expected 30 F-35As. This chamber’s decision is distinct from the subsequent National Council committee recommendation and completion of parliamentary proceedings. Original source.
24.06.2026 — The Federal Council decided to resume Patriot payments to limit further damage. It also instructed the DDPS to negotiate a second system with manufacturers in France, Israel and South Korea. Negotiations do not constitute a contract award. Original source.
11.08.2026 — The National Council Security Policy Committee proposes an additional CHF 500 million for ground-based air-defence ammunition and indirect fire support (11–9, four abstentions). This is not an F-35 armament credit. It separately supports the CHF 394 million F-35 credit. Original source.
Further reading: Patriot / Air2030 · Drohnen / Drones
¶ Air2030 Programme and Evaluation
¶ Overview
The Air2030 programme encompasses the procurement of a new combat aircraft and a ground-based air defence system (Patriot) to modernise Switzerland's air defence capabilities. In the 2016 Security Policy Report, the Bundesrat identified the renewal of air defence as a key priority [1].
¶ Chronology of the Procurement Process
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Launch of evaluation process by armasuisse |
| 2018 | Requests for proposals sent to manufacturers (Airbus, Boeing, Dassault, Lockheed Martin, Saab) |
| 2019 | Flight tests and technical evaluation in Payerne |
| 27.09.2020 | Popular vote: 50.1% Yes to the combat aircraft funding (CHF 6 billion) |
| 2021 | Technical and commercial evaluation completed |
| 30.06.2021 | Bundesrat type selection: F-35A Lightning II |
| 2022 | Procurement contract with the US government (FMS -- Foreign Military Sales) |
| 2027 | Planned first delivery |
| 2030 | Planned Initial Operating Capability (IOC) |
¶ Evaluated Candidates
Five combat aircraft types were evaluated as part of Air2030. The F-35A ranked first with 336 points -- a lead of at least 95 points over all competitors [1].
| Type | Manufacturer | Country | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-35A Lightning II | Lockheed Martin | USA | Selected (1st place, 336 points) |
| Rafale | Dassault Aviation | France | 2nd place |
| Eurofighter Typhoon | Airbus (Consortium) | Germany/Europe | 3rd place |
| F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | Boeing | USA | 4th place |
| Gripen E | Saab | Sweden | Withdrew in June 2019 [72] |
¶ Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation by armasuisse assessed four main categories:
- Effectiveness (55%): Operational capability, sensors, networking, weapon systems
- Product support (15%): Logistics, maintenance, spare parts availability
- Cooperation/Offset (10%): Industrial participation, technology transfer
- Total cost (20%): Procurement and life-cycle costs over 30 years
The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) assessed the methodology of the type evaluation as correct and transparent [91].
¶ Procurement Model
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Foreign Military Sales (FMS) through the US government |
| Original scope | 36 F-35A |
| Current scope | 35 F-35A (reduced due to price increase) [2] |
| Total cost | CHF 6.035 billion (procurement incl. logistics, armament, infrastructure) |
| Life-cycle cost | Estimated CHF 15.5 billion over 30 years [7][8] |
| Financing | Regular army budget (no supplementary credits) |
→ See also: Procurement Costs and Cost Overruns
¶ References
[1] Swiss Parliament. (2019). 19.039 | Procurement of New Combat Aircraft. Federal Decree (Planning Decision). Business No. 19.039
[2] Swiss Confederation. (2021, 30 June). Type Selection msg-id-84275
[7] Swiss Federal Chancellery. (2019). BBl 2019 5081: Dispatch on the Planning Decision for Combat Aircraft
[8] Swiss Parliament. (2019, 26 November). SiK-N Point de Presse: Combat Aircraft
[72] admin.ch (2020). Air2030: Second Proposals for New Fighter Aircraft
[91] SFAO: Risk Management Air2030 -- armasuisse (EFK-21410)