The agreement was controversial before Switzerland signed it, and has grown moreso after a “misunderstanding” with the US, tariff threats, and US failure to deliver other hardware.

The American-made F-35 Lightning II is at the center of a political fight brewing in Switzerland, as some lawmakers in the historically-neutral Alpine nation have called for a formal inquiry into Bern’s acquisition of the fifth-generation stealth fighter.

The nation’s left-wing Social Democratic Party is demanding the creation of a commission of inquiry—known as CPI in Switzerland—over the cost of the aircraft.

Officials from the Swiss Ministry of Defense have maintained that their 6 billion Swiss franc ($7.3 billion) contract for 36 F-35 Lightning IIs was a “guaranteed, fixed-price deal.” That meant that if the costs to produce the aircraft increased, it would be Lockheed Martin not the Swiss taxpayer that was ultimately responsible for the difference.

US officials now say that was a “misunderstanding.”

Why Switzerland Chose the F-35

Switzerland has long maintained a policy of “armed neutrality.” The Central European nation has its own armed forces to defend its territory and independence. It supports NATO’s peacekeeping mission and participates in joint military exercises with NATO and neighboring nations, but does not enter into armed conflict.

The Swiss Air Force’s primary air-policing duties are intercepting rogue aircraft. It currently operates American-made F/A-18 Hornet and F-5 Tiger fighter jets.

When the Swiss Ministry of Defense sought a replacement for its aging fleet, some Swiss lawmakers thought they should show European unity and choose the Eurofighter Typhoon or the French-made Dassault Rafale. Swiss officials did not consider the Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen E because it was not operational at the time they were making their selection.

Some Swiss lawmakers thought the F-35 has more functionality—notably its stealth—than Switzerland needs.

There were also concerns that the F-35 is built around US-managed cloud logistics and mission-data systems. Critics of the F-35 warned that Washington could (at least) theoretically monitor Swiss flight operations, restrict software updates, or block parts during a conflict, making the Swiss military functionally dependent on the US.

The Swiss Ministry of Defense evaluated all of the options and chose the F-35A because officials determined that it had “the highest overall benefit at the lowest overall cost,” they said at the time.

Switzerland agreed to buy 36 F-35s in June 2021 and signed the deal in September 2022.

The controversy didn’t end when the contract was signed.

A “Misunderstanding” Between the US and Switzerland About the Terms of the F-35 Deal

In August 2024, during the Biden Administration, the US gave the first “verbal hints” that the costs of the F-35 were rising. And in December of that year, Washington clarified to Bern that lump-sum fixed prices for foreign military sales (FMS) do not exist under US law and the Arms Export Control Act (AECA).

The AECA requires that defense platforms be sold at the actual cost incurred by the Pentagon. The law is meant to ensure the US government is legally prohibited from making a profit, and protected from suffering a loss on transactions with foreign partners.

Just a month after President Donald Trump returned to the White House, in February 2025, the US government followed up with a definitive letter that said the perceived fixed price for the F-35 was a “misunderstanding,” and that the price of the aircraft could be higher than initially agreed to. In June 2025, the cost increase became public after the price jumped to 1.3 billion Swiss francs ($1.58 billion)—double the original contracted price.

How Donald Trump’s Tariffs Nearly Killed the Swiss F-35 Deal

President Donald Trump in April 2025 threatened to impose a 31 percent tariff on Swiss goods to address a trade deficit, and then in July 2025 increased it to 39 percent because he said Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter “just rubbed [him] the wrong way.”

Left-wing and centralist Swiss lawmakers furiously questioned why Switzerland was buying such an expensive platform from the United States—which, to echo Trump vernacular, was treating the Swiss people so badly and unfairly.

Trump reduced the tariffs to 15 percent in November after meetings with Swiss officials and business leaders.

A month later, with a bad taste in their mouths from the tariff threats and their budget capped at 6 billion Swiss francs, Swiss officials scaled back their order to 30 F-35s. This decision quickly drew fierce criticism from Switzerland’s right-wing parties, notably the SVP and FDP, which each argued that 30 jets would be operationally insufficient to protect Swiss airspace.

How the Wars in Ukraine and Iran Are Hurting the Swiss F-35 Deal

The US has been late in delivering five MIM-104 Patriot air defense systems and the accompanying PAC-3 MSE interceptors to Switzerland. The US sent the first Patriot system and missiles intended for Switzerland to Ukraine for use in the ongoing Ukraine war, and other systems and missiles meant for Ukraine to the Middle East for use in the ongoing Iran war.

Swiss officials stopped making payments for the air defense system in fall 2025, reasoning that the country shouldn’t pay for systems it hasn’t received.

The US responded by redirecting funds intended for the F-35 to the Patriot missile systems.

Swiss officials are not satisfied with the turn of events.

“It’s infuriating when we halt payments, and then the money is simply diverted,” SVP National Councillor and security policy expert Werner Salzmann told SRF in March. “More and more problems with the interpretation of the FMS contracts are emerging. We need to carefully consider whether we even want to conclude such contracts anymore.”

Production of the First Swiss F-35s

Production of the first Swiss F-35s began in August at a Leonardo facility in Italy. The first eight F-35s will be completed at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas. They are expected to be delivered in the middle of 2028.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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