Illustration: F-35 Lightning II -- Swiss procurement, production costs and US dependency

¶ Switzerland's F-35 Fighter Jet Procurement

Welcome to the comprehensive information platform on the F-35 Lightning II, with a particular focus on Switzerland's procurement under the Air2030 programme.

Procurement	Current State	Problem Areas	Options	Press Review
How Switzerland chose the F-35	What the F-35 is	What is not working	What next?	Sources and media

¶ New: National Council Control Committee report of 8 September 2026 on the F-35 fixed price

The National Council Control Committee (GPK-N) has completed its investigation into the F-35A fixed price. It concludes that no flat fixed price was agreed with the United States. It criticises the DDPS's communication, the organisation of the negotiations and the late notification of the Federal Council as a whole. This is a GPK-N report, not a report by a Parliamentary Investigation Committee (PUK). Official announcement, in German.

For future major procurements, the committee calls in particular for a clear negotiating mandate and consistent involvement of armasuisse's legal service. The Federal Council is invited to respond by 11 December 2026. Official announcement, in German.

Original sources: Announcement of 8 September 2026, in German · Full GPK-N report, in German.

This addition covers the new report; earlier sections retain their stated reference dates.

¶ Political decisions: as of 6 September 2026

New political decisions checked on 6 September 2026; earlier background retains its stated reference date.

06.05.2026 — The Federal Council’s response on the price comparison with Poland has been available since 6 May 2026. It points to different procurement packages: the Swiss price includes armament, training, logistics and integration. Comparisons of isolated unit prices need this context. Original source.

13.05.2026 — The DDPS reported an expected Patriot delay of five to seven years and substantial additional costs. Binding US information was unavailable. Payments remained suspended at that point; this does not establish a guaranteed new delivery year. Original source.

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

¶ Latest Development

"Like jailbreaking an iPhone" -- Dutch Defence State Secretary Gijs Tuinman stated in June 2025 that the F-35 software can be "jailbroken like an iPhone" to achieve software sovereignty from the United States. The statement highlights the fundamental dependency problem facing all F-35 buyer nations: the software is entirely controlled by the US. A jailbreak carries significant risks -- loss of warranty, exclusion from software updates, and potential spare-parts embargo by Lockheed Martin. Israel remains the only country with a contractual right to independent software modification.

→ See: Dependency on the USA · Kill-Switch Debate and Sovereignty

F-35 Procurement Cost Explosion: The United States claimed additional costs of CHF 0.65 to 1.3 billion for the 36 F-35A in 2025. The fixed-price guarantee communicated at contract conclusion proved legally unenforceable. On 12 December 2025, the Bundesrat decided to procure the maximum possible number of F-35A within the existing financial framework of CHF 6 billion -- approximately 30 instead of the originally planned 36 aircraft.

→ See: Procurement Costs and Cost Overruns

¶ Topics

¶ 1. Procurement -- How Switzerland chose the F-35

¶ 2. Current State -- What the F-35 is and international experience

Technical Systems:

International Experience:

¶ 3. Problem Areas -- What is not working

Costs and Finances:

Procurement Costs and Cost Overruns · Operating Costs per Flight Hour · Cost Comparison F/A-18 Hornet · Cost Comparison Gripen E · Cost Comparison Rafale/Eurofighter

Technical Deficits:

Stealth Compromise via Link-16 · Radar Disadvantage APG-81 vs. APG-85 · Availability and Readiness · Single-Engine Design · Lack of Full-Rate Production · Accident Record · No Laser Weapon Retrofit

Sovereignty and Dependency:

Dependency on the USA · ALIS/ODIN -- No Autonomous Operation · Nuclear Weapons Carrier

Procurement Agency and Transparency:

Structural Weaknesses of Defence Procurement · Transparency and Freedom of Information · Other Critical Aspects

¶ 4. Options -- What next?

¶ 5. Press Review -- Sources and Media Coverage

This wiki is based on publicly available sources, official government documents, peer-reviewed publications and recognised specialist journals.

Archived press review entry: Watson, 27.02.2026: After US visit — Questions on F-35 procurement remain open

20 March 2026: USAF F-35A hit by ground fire after combat mission over Iran — emergency landing, pilot stable. First confirmed hit on an F-35 by enemy fire. Also: Breaking Defense reveals new F-35s to be delivered without radars from fall 2026. Pentagon test report confirms TR-3 software as "predominantly unusable". Italian F-35A to visit Meiringen in April for noise comparison tests.

Archived press review entry (21.03.2026): Defence Budget 2026: Bundesrat requests CHF 394m supplementary credit for ~30 F-35A. Switzerland halts arms exports to USA over Iran war. SCMP/19FortyFive: First confirmed F-35 combat damage — Iran used IR sensors for detection. NZZ/SRF, 20.03.2026

Last Press Review update: March 23, 2026 — Bundesrat halts arms exports to the US over Iran war, NZZ reveals: F-35 and Patriot mentioned in confidential briefing paper, US opens Section 301 trade investigation against Switzerland.