AP

Swiss sign controversial $6B deal to purchase F-35 fighters

Sep 19, 2022, 5:52 AM | Updated: 6:15 am

GENEVA (AP) — Swiss officials on Monday formally signed a procurement contract to acquire three dozen F-35 fighter jets from the United States as part of a planned refurbishment of Switzerland’s air force that has run afoul of critics of the big defense purchase, the government said.

The head of Switzerland’s armaments service and F-35A program director inked the procurement deal that is to cost just over 6 billion Swiss francs (dollars) for the planes that will be delivered between 2027 and 2030.

The planned purchase has already been signed by the United States, where manufacturer Lockheed Martin has its headquarters, the Swiss government said in a statement. The procurement cost will include mission-specific equipment, weapons and ammunition, as well as logistics, mission-planning and training support, it said.

Late last month, opponents succeeded in a petition drive to put the planned purchase to a referendum, but Swiss government officials have argued that voters had already agreed to it and the contract was already set to be signed, so any timetable for a referendum would be too late.

Opponents say the planes are too expensive, would tie Swiss security too closely to the United States and are ill-suited for the needs of Switzerland. The Swiss air force mostly uses such fighters for air patrols in its European skies and not in conflicts abroad.

The Swiss constitution holds that Switzerland is a neutral country, curtailing its ability to take part in foreign conflicts.

Canada, Finland and Germany are among other Western countries that have also opted for the F-35. The Swiss government chose the fighters in June in a competition against Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, France’s Rafale and the Eurofighter. The new jets are to replace the country’s aging fleet of F/A-18 Hornets and F-5 Tigers.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., listens to a question during a news conference, March 30, 2022, in W...

Associated Press

Tuberville is ending blockade of most military nominees, clearing way for hundreds to be approved

Sen. Tommy Tuberville announced Tuesday that he's ending his blockade of hundreds of military promotions, following heavy criticism.

17 hours ago

An employee works inside the Hanwha Qcells Solar plant on Oct. 16, 2023, in Dalton, Ga. On Tuesday,...

Associated Press

US job openings fall to lowest level since March 2021 as labor market cools

U.S. employers posted 8.7 million job openings in October, the fewest since March 2021, in a sign that hiring is cooling.

18 hours ago

Megyn Kelly poses at The Hollywood Reporter's 25th annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast, Dec. 7,...

Associated Press

The fourth GOP debate will be a key moment for the young NewsNation cable network

By airing the fourth Republican presidential debate, NewsNation network will almost certainly reach the largest audience in its history.

19 hours ago

Lead water pipes pulled from underneath the street are seen in Newark, N.J., Oct. 21, 2021. (AP Pho...

Associated Press

Biden to require cities to replace harmful lead pipes within 10 years

The Biden administration has previously said it wants all of the nation's roughly 9 million lead pipes to be removed, and rapidly.

6 days ago

Facebook's Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on, Oct. 28, 2...

Associated Press

Meta shuts down thousands of fake Facebook accounts that were primed to polarize voters ahead of 2024

Meta said it removed 4789 Facebook accounts in China that targeted the United States before next year’s election.

6 days ago

A demonstrator in Tel Aviv holds a sign calling for a cease-fire in the Hamas-Israel war on Nov. 21...

Associated Press

Hamas releases a third group of hostages as part of truce, and says it will seek to extend the deal

The fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was back on track Sunday as the first American was released under a four-day truce.

10 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

The best ways to honor our heroes on Veterans Day and give back to the community

Veterans Day is fast approaching and there's no better way to support our veterans than to donate to the Military Assistance Mission.

Follow @KTAR923...

The 2023 Diamondbacks are a good example to count on the underdog

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series as a surprise. That they made the playoffs at all, got past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card round, swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and won two road games in Philadelphia to close out a full seven-game NLCS went against every expectation. Now, […]

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Desert Institute for Spine Care (DISC) wants to help Valley residents address back, neck issues through awake spine surgery

As the weather begins to change, those with back issues can no longer rely on the dry heat to aid their backs. That's where DISC comes in.

Swiss sign controversial $6B deal to purchase F-35 fighters