Switzerland will be able to buy 36 fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighters for $6,000,000,000

Switzerland will still be able to buy F-35 Lightning fighters, as was planned more than a year ago.

Here's What We Know

In 2021, Switzerland agreed with Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon to buy fifth-generation fighters. However, activists began to protest against the purchase of American planes in view of the availability of European alternatives. They decided to organize a referendum, but Swiss lawmakers approved the deal even without a popular vote.

The lower house of the National Council overwhelmingly approved the purchase of 36 planes from the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The upper house also approved the purchase of fifth-generation fighters.

Flashback

The Stop F-35 initiative collected the 100,000 signatures required to bring any issue to a vote. However, the government said that Switzerland would violate the deadline for approving the contract with Lockheed Martin if it took up organizing the referendum.

In this case, the European country would not be able to renew its fighter fleet and would be left with old F/A-18 Super Hornet planes. If the previous conditions remain in force, Switzerland will buy 36 fighters F-35 Lightning II for $6 billion.

Source: The Defense Post

Image: Aviacionline, Defense News, The Aviationist