Summary
- Switzerland to assemble F-35A jets domestically, acquiring knowledge and technology from Lockheed Martin as part of US purchase.
- The Swiss armaments company Ruag will assemble and test the jets, with final acceptance in Cameri, Italy.
- By 2030, the F-35 will be Europe’s most used fighter jet, with Switzerland replacing old Hornets and F-5 Tigers with 36 F-35s.
Flight Global has reported that Switzerland will domestically assemble four Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter jets as part of Switzerland’s purchase of the jets from the United States. Switzerland expects to receive three dozen F-35A jets by the end of the decade, ensuring that its air force remains relevant in the 21st century. F-35A fighter jets are arguably the most advanced fighter jets currently available on the export market.
Switzerland to assemble F-35A jets domestically
The Swiss domestic production of the F-35A fighter jets is part of a knowledge and technology transfer deal with Lockheed Martin (which manufactures the jets in Fort Worth, Texas). For the jet assembly, Switzerland will receive “know-how, data packages, training and technical support.”
The jets will be assembled and tested at the Swiss armaments company Ruag. After they are assembled in Switzerland, they will be flown to Cameri, Italy, to Leonard’s production facility for final acceptance. There are only three sites worldwide for final F-35 assembly and check-out: Fort Worth and a site each in Italy and Japan.
While most export customers receive the F-35 jets fully assembled from the US, a few are permitted to assemble them domestically—Japan is another notable example. Japan assembles its own F-35A fighters but not its F-35Bs. Engines for Finland’s F-35 jets will also be locally produced under license.
Photo: Betty R Chevalier | United States Air Force
Switzerland has ordered a total of 36 F-35s with delivery dates scheduled for between 2027 and 2030. They will replace the country’s aging fleet of Boeing F/A-18 Hornets and Northrop F-5 Tigers. By 2030, the F-35 is expected to be the most widely used fighter jet in Europe with almost 500 in service around the continent.
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Switzerland: an alpine military power
Switzerland has long been a neutral country and managed to stay out of both WWI and WW2. But while it may have a reputation for cheese and chocolate, it has never been a passive country. Switzerland has long pursued a policy of armed neutrality, and during WW2 and the Cold War, it maintained a formidable military for its size. A big reason why Germany didn’t invade it in WW2 was because it had a powerful military.
According to the National Swiss Museum, Switzerland even sought to acquire nuclear bombs in the 1950s and early 1960s. Today, Switzerland continues to have a notable military and defense base with a noteworthy military export industry. For the period 2019-2023, SIPRI ranks Switzerland as the 17th largest arms exporter in the world (down from 12th for the previous five-year period).
Photo: US Air Force
Like other small countries in Europe (like Finland), Switzerland plans on the assumption that in the event of a war, it would be fighting much larger countries. These countries plan to disperse their air forces as airbases would come under attack. Also like Finland, Switzerland holds training exercises where they operate its fighter jets off highways.