Swiss politicians condemn spiralling F-35 costs

The Swiss procurement of 36 F-35 fighter jets from the United States is expected to be much more expensive than expected, prompting harsh reactions from politicians. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The government is predicting additional costs of up to CHF1.35 billion for the purchase of the F-35. Sharp criticism comes from the Social Democratic Party. "Lies and deception were used to push through the F-35," parliamentarian Fabian Molina wrote on the Bluesky platform. + Swiss F-35s could cost at least CHF1bn extra Critical voices were "laughed at and silenced," she added. Now taxpayers are sitting on "billions in losses." The suspicion that the fixed price should not be taken seriously has been confirmed, said Gerhard Andrey of the Green Party. This is not only a financial problem, but also a problem of dependency on the US. The centrist political view is different. Senator Marianne Binder-Keller, a security policy expert, is sticking with the purchase ...