GENEVA: Switzerland and the United States are quibbling over the final price of 36 new Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets bought to replace the ageing Swiss fleet, Bern said on Wednesday.
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency wants Switzerland to assume additional costs, but Bern says it is sticking to the agreed price of just over $7.5 billion at current exchange rates.
“In recent months, challenges have arisen,” Switzerland’s Federal Council government said in a statement.
“From the DSCA’s point of view, Switzerland will have to bear additional costs due to the high inflation in the US in recent years and the sharp rise in raw material and energy prices in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.” The agency told Switzerland in February that in its view, “the fixed price was a misunderstanding, without quantifying the additional costs”.
“The Federal Council is sticking to the validity of the fixed price,” it said.
Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2025
