Pfister expects funds to cover 30 Swiss F-35 jets

Swiss Federal Councillor Martin Pfister said calculations and discussions with US officials indicate that available funds should be enough to buy 30 F-35 fighter jets, although the exact cost of later production batches is still unknown, SRF reported.

The first aircraft for Switzerland are being assembled in Texas. Pfister said the price of the first jets is known, but the US government has not yet negotiated the prices for subsequent batches with the manufacturer.

A report by the Parliamentary Control Committee found that there was no fixed price for the deal, despite the Defence Ministry and Pfister’s predecessor, Viola Amherd, insisting on one for years. Pfister said officials had believed a fixed price existed and had taken steps to confirm that assumption.

“We have no fixed price, and that is a problem,” Pfister said. He added that negotiating and demanding a fixed price had not been a good idea.

Pfister said he could not explain why only a few people had thoroughly read the contract. He said the agreement was difficult to understand because of its legal background and added that several contracts were involved. He said he had read the F-35 contract but needed assistance with individual passages.

Pfister also said he had exchanged views with Amherd in recent months but had gained no new information. His focus, he said, was on drawing the right lessons, restoring confidence in the Defence Ministry and rebuilding the country’s defence readiness.

At the beginning of his term, Pfister said, he created a separate department to closely monitor all projects, particularly large ones. He also pledged to pursue transparency and openness, including when problems arise.

Pfister said the F-35 project had a long and difficult history but remained important to Switzerland’s security and to protecting its airspace.