The tariffs, imposed by the U.S. administration on Switzerland, include a 39% duty on Swiss exports, creating a serious obstacle for local businesses. The measures affect products ranging from luxury watches to coffee capsules — both staples of the country's freign trade. Bloomberg reports that these tariffs have become a central political issue affecting even military sales.
The F-35 contract, signed in 2022, covers 36 fighter aircraft and could be worth up to 7.3 billion Swiss francs ($9.1 billion). Initially, the cost was fixed at 6.25 billion francs (about $6.55 billion at the time).
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Calls in Switzerland extend beyond the F-35 deal. Some members of the parliament are also urging the cancellation of the Patriot air defense system order, signed at the same time, which included 17 launchers and other system components. Notably, those 17 launchers are likely to end up in Ukraine — a detail that matches the figure mentioned by Trump.
At present, it remains unclear whether Switzerland will actually cancel or renegotiate the F-35 contract. However, operating the fighters would tie Switzerland heavily to U.S. defense suppliers for spare parts, support equipment, and air-to-air or air-to-ground munitions.
This long-term dependency could require substantial future spending, something Swiss policymakers may be reluctant to commit to. On the other hand, the country plans to retire its F/A-18 Hornet and F-5 fleets by the end of the decade. Without replacements ready, Switzerland risks being left without a combat ready air fleet.
The current deal schedules F-35 deliveries between 2027 and 2030. Should Switzerland cancel the contract, it would need to quickly seek alternatives — most likely European — to fill the gap.
Potential candidates include the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon, both of which were the F-35's main competitors in the original Swiss tender. The F-35 won due to its clear fifth-generation advantages, but a shift back to these fourth-generation options would likely result in longer delivery times than the already-ordered F-35s.
Switzerland is not the only European country reconsidering its F-35 acquisition. Similar debates have surfaced in Germany and the Czech Republic, though neither has moved to cancel their orders.
And in a curious side note, the Swiss F-35 program has already attracted unwanted attention: a Chinese espionage attempt targeting the jets failed, leaving the deal under even more scrutiny.
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