Switzerland is thinking of buying fewer F-35 aircraft after Americans have asked for more money
F-35 aircraft. Profimedia photo
Switzerland could purchase fewer F-35 American fighter jets if the additional US requested cost will exceed the maximum fixed budget, the Swiss Minister of Defense said on Sunday, according to France Presse and Agerpres.
Berna and Washington are in disagreement on the final price for the 36 planes ordered to replace the old Swiss air fleet.
“We will respect the maximum budget provided. If the price is higher, we will analyze different options, including fewer planes or try optimizations within the project,” said the Swiss Minister of Defense, Martin Pfister, in an interview in Le Matin Dimanche.
“There is also a maneuver margin, for example in relation to the” offset “business, which are counterparters agreed with the producer to invest or create economic activity in Switzerland,” he added.
According to Berne, Switzerland and the US have contractually agreed on a firm price in 2022, of just over 6 billion Swiss francs (6.4 million euros), for these fighter jets of American Lockheed Martin. But on June 25, the Swiss government announced that the US demands additional costs between 650 million and $ 1.3 billion, related to inflation and increase in prices for raw materials and energy.
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“In any case, we need to buy this plane”
The US evokes an “misunderstanding”, according to Berne, looking for a “negotiated” solution.
“I certainly have the intention to come up with solutions and this as soon as possible. In any case, it is necessary to buy this (type of) plane,” said PFister for Le Matin Dimanche, because, “even with these extra costs, F-35 remains less expensive than his competitors.”
“This is also a new generation aircraft and it is used by many European countries. From the northern head of Norway to Sicily in Italy, several European countries have bet on F-35. It is important for the defense of our airspace to be integrated into this system. Therefore, I am convinced of this choice,” the Minister said.
US demand extra costs up to 1.3 billion dollars
The additional cost issue aroused a lit controversy in Switzerland, and a parliamentary commission decided to investigate the subject.
F-35 aircraft deliveries to Switzerland would start in 2027.
In September 2020, the Swiss approved at a popular vote a tire of 6 billion francs to make the country equipped with a new air fleet, the F/A-1 appliances will be used around 2030.
During the choice of the device, the Swiss government had stated that the American plane is by far the best, at the lowest price of all the competitors in the race (Faale, F/A -18 and Eurofighter).
