¶ 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 |
¶ 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 Federal Council 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.
¶ Topics
¶ 1. Procurement -- How Switzerland chose the F-35
- Air2030 Programme and Evaluation
- Armasuisse Evaluation Model
- Parliamentary Debate
- Offset Deals and Industrial Participation
- Timeline and Milestones
- Political Actors
- Popular Initiative "Stop F-35"
- Historical Context
¶ 2. Current State -- What the F-35 is and international experience
Technical Systems:
- Technical Systems (Overview)
- Platform Variants · Radar AN/APG-81 vs. AN/APG-85 · Stealth Technology · Sensor Fusion · Avionics Suite · F135 Engine · Communications (MADL, Link-16, SATCOM) · Electronic Warfare · Weapons · Software (Block Upgrades, ALIS/ODIN)
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:
Procurement Agency and Transparency:
- Structural Weaknesses of Defence Procurement · Transparency and Freedom of Information · Other Critical Aspects
¶ 4. Options -- What next?
- Strategic Options for the Fighter Fleet
- Threat Assessment for Switzerland
- Defence Strategy
- Alternative Defence Technologies
- Russian Military Transformation
- Army XXI: Historical Lessons
- Defence Procurement Reform
- Vision for the Future
¶ 5. Press Review -- Sources and Media Coverage
- GAO -- F-35 Reports
- US Congress: Criticism and Hearings
- Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
- Pentagon Audits and POGO Investigations
- Kill-Switch Debate and Sovereignty
- Cost and Reliability Crisis (USA)
- Block 4 / TR-3 Modernisation Crisis
- Partner Countries in Crisis
- Media Statistics
This wiki is based on publicly available sources, official government documents, peer-reviewed publications and recognised specialist journals.
Latest 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.
Latest press review entry (21.03.2026): Defence Budget 2026: Federal Council 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 — Federal Council 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.