On September 19, 2022, Switzerland’s Federal Office for Defence Procurement (armasuisse) finalized its agreement to purchase 36 F-35A Lightning II aircraft, signing a letter of offer and acceptance that calls for the jets to be delivered between 2027 and 2030. The United States welcomes this most recent step in the procurement process and looks forward to delivering these capabilities to meet Switzerland’s sovereign defense. The F-35 will be the fighter jet most widely used by European partners by 2030, with almost 500 aircraft flying for European Air Forces.
Switzerland’s F-35A acquisition will include mission specific equipment, weapons and ammunition, a logistics package, mission planning systems, training systems, and initial training. The procurement will be managed through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process.
The United States and Switzerland have enjoyed a strong military partnership for more than half a century, with a proven record of military procurements and training, to include the high-profile acquisitions of the F-5 Tiger and F/A-18 Hornet. Given the modern security challenges, cooperation and collaboration are more critical than ever.
Please direct Press inquiries to the U.S. Embassy Press Office at BernPA@State.gov.