On 27 September 2020, the Swiss electorate approved the Air2030 planning decree with 50.1% of the vote. The federal decree authorised the procurement of new combat aircraft for a maximum of CHF 6 billion [1].
On 30 June 2021, the Federal Council announced that the F-35A by Lockheed Martin had been selected. The procurement of 36 aircraft was to be conducted through a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract with the United States. The Federal Council referred to a binding maximum price [6].
On 7 August 2025, Defence Minister Martin Pfister announced at a press conference in Bern that the United States had claimed additional costs for the 36 F-35A. A legal opinion confirmed that the fixed-price guarantee was not legally enforceable under the FMS procedure [7].
The communicated additional costs amount to CHF 0.65 to 1.3 billion, depending on the source [1][3]. The NZZ estimated the total cost for 36 F-35A at CHF 6.7 to 7.3 billion [3].
According to media reports, the additional costs were caused by several factors [1][7]:
Pfister presented several options at the press conference on 7 August 2025 [1][7]:
The Defence Department was to analyse by the end of November 2025 how many combat aircraft are needed for air defence [1].
Note: The following calculations are based on publicly available figures and represent an independent analysis. They serve for illustration purposes and should not be understood as an official cost estimate.
| Original (2020) | Current Estimate (2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | 36 F-35A | approx. 29–30 F-35A |
| Total cost | CHF 6 bn | CHF 6.7–7.3 bn |
| Unit price | ~CHF 167 m | ~CHF 203 m |
| Cost overruns | CHF 0.65–1.3 bn |
Sources: Popular vote 2020, NZZ [3]. Unit prices: own calculation.
The actual number depends on the final negotiation results with the United States. According to the NZZ, the expected number is approximately 30 aircraft [3].
On 12 December 2025, the Federal Council decided to procure the maximum possible number of F-35A within the existing financial framework of CHF 6 billion [2][6]. According to media reports, this amounts to approximately 30 aircraft instead of the originally planned 36 [3][4].
Defence Minister Pfister had in essence requested a supplementary credit to finance all 36 aircraft. The Federal Council rejected this request [3].
Pfister stated in essence that from a military perspective, even 36 aircraft would not be sufficient and that the decision was not ideal [3].
The procurement of the remaining approximately six aircraft was not definitively decided. A later procurement remains open and would need to be approved again by Parliament [2][3]. The DDPS was to present the parameters for the next steps by the end of January 2026 [6].
The 2017 expert report "Air Defence of the Future" concluded in essence that 30 combat aircraft would suffice for daily air policing duties. In crisis or wartime scenarios, limitations would be expected but could be partially offset by the expansion of ground-based air defence [5].
In essence, the 2017 experts noted that in air defence as well – thanks to the expansion of ground-based air defence – an adequate performance could be delivered [5].
However, the expert report recommended 55 to 70 modern combat aircraft for comprehensive air defence of Switzerland [6].
[1] SRF: Billions in Additional Costs for F-35 (7 August 2025)
[2] SRF: Switzerland Procures Fewer F-35 Than Originally Planned (12 December 2025)
[3] NZZ: DDPS Chief Pfister Fails in Federal Council (12 December 2025)
[4] 20 Minuten: Pfister Wants to Buy Only 30 F-35 (23 November 2025)
[5] SRF: 30 Combat Aircraft Could Just About Suffice (December 2025)
[6] DDPS: Air2030 – Procurement F-35A (12 December 2025)
[7] SRF: Pfister Informs About Billions in Additional Costs (7 August 2025)