Swiss National Council Pushes Forward with F-35 Procurement Amid Controversy
The National Council in Switzerland is moving forward with plans to purchase F-35 fighter jets despite recent controversy surrounding a 'fixed-price fiasco'. The council has approved a 394-million-franc supplemental appropriation for the procurement, which was proposed by the Federal Council and already cleared by the Council of States.
Defense Minister Martin Pfister commented on the issue during a general debate in the National Council. He described the report that sparked the controversy as 'nuanced, objective, and interesting', but also acknowledged that it presented a 'serious burden' on efforts to build trust within the Department of Defense.
Pfister emphasized the importance of procuring new fighter jets for Switzerland's security, stating that it was crucial to acquire the maximum possible number of them. The Federal Council has requested approximately 3.4 billion Swiss francs in its 2026 Armed Forces Message, including funds for defense procurement and real estate projects.
The National Council committee approved all funding requests, and decisions on additional matters will be made in the coming hours. The supplemental appropriation is part of a larger package that includes 2.4 billion francs for defense procurement and 562 million francs for real estate projects.