30 instead of 36? The Swiss are cutting down on considered purchases of F-35A fighters

We are considering purchasing 30 American-made F-35A fighters instead of the previously planned 36 machines, said Swiss Defense Minister Martin Pfister, explaining that the change was due to the too high costs of the order. Moreover, Bern is considering purchasing an anti-aircraft defense system.

In addition to the previously planned purchase of the Patriot system, Switzerland wants to buy “an additional air defense system, preferably of European production,” Pfister announced on Friday at a press conference in Bern.

Switzerland, which has a provision in its constitution obliging the country to remain neutral, has been considering strengthening its armed forces for some time.. In a statement on Friday, the government in Bern explained that possible investments in weapons and combat machines are the result of “the tense geopolitical situation and the growing threat related to long-range weapons.”

The head of the Ministry of Defense said that in order to purchase 36 F-35A machines, Switzerland would have to take out an additional loan of 1.1 billion Swiss francs (1.2 billion euros), which the government did not decide to do. Nevertheless, the authorities in Bern will ask the parliament for permission to take out a smaller loan of 394 Swiss francs, which will allow for the purchase of 30 F-35A fighters.

As AFP pointed out, in 2020, the Swiss voted in a referendum to allocate 6 billion Swiss francs (6.6 billion euros) for the purchase of new fighters. (PAP)

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