Swiss parliament pushes for probe into costly F-35 fighter purchase

Switzerland’s left-leaning Social Democratic Party has urged the creation of a parliamentary commission to investigate the nation’s purchase of 36 F-35A fighters, a contract valued at 6 billion Swiss francs. Swiss officials originally presented the deal as a guaranteed fixed-price arrangement, but U.S. authorities later said that under the Arms Export Control Act such pricing cannot be fixed, leading to a price jump to 1.3 billion Swiss francs for a single jet.

The controversy was amplified by President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs on Swiss goods, which were later reduced after diplomatic talks. Additional friction arose when the United States redirected funds meant for the F-35 to Patriot air-defence systems that were sent to Ukraine and the Middle East, causing Switzerland to suspend payments. Critics argue the stealth jet’s reliance on U.S. cloud-based logistics could compromise Swiss neutrality, while right-wing parties contend that a reduced order of 30 jets would leave the air force under-equipped. The first Swiss-built F-35s are slated for delivery in mid-2028.