Switzerland's First F-35 Jets Begin Build in Italy, Will Finish in Texas and Test in Arkansas

Production of Switzerland's first F-35 Lightning II fighters has commenced at the Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Cameri, Italy, overseen by Leonardo, with the fuselage section bearing serial MJ-4 and its wing slated for integration at Lockheed Martin's plant in Fort Worth, Texas. Of the reduced order of 30 aircraft, 24 will be manufactured or completed at the Italian site, while the remaining eight will be finished in the United States.

Once assembled, the jets will travel to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, where they will undergo flight testing and Swiss pilots and ground crews will receive training. After certification, the aircraft will be shipped back to Switzerland for operational deployment at Payerne (mid-2028), Meiringen (2030) and Emmen (2032). The procurement, originally for 36 jets signed in 2022, was cut to 30 in December 2025 due to escalating costs and debate over reliance on a U.S.-origin stealth platform. Italy's FACO line also supports other NATO members, highlighting its pivotal role in the global F-35 supply chain.