Defence
Swiss lawmakers grill defence minister over botched F-35 deal
Swiss lawmakers have questioned Defence Minister Martin Pfister over serious failings in negotiations to procure F-35 fighter jets, including the absence of a fixed price and alleged conflicts of interest involving consultants.
Nineteen parliamentary questions put Defence Minister Martin Pfister under sustained pressure on September 21, two weeks after auditors exposed major weaknesses in Switzerland's negotiations for F-35 fighter jets. Lawmakers demanded to know who allowed the procurement process to proceed without a fixed price and whether anyone could face criminal consequences.
Pfister repeatedly declined to give a definitive answer. “The Federal Council will set out its position in due course,” he said, referring to the government's planned response in December. His appearance left Parliament waiting for an official account of how the negotiation process was managed and why earlier assurances proved inaccurate.
The dispute reaches beyond the technical details of a fighter aircraft contract. Switzerland's government had previously indicated that the purchase was secured on a fixed-price basis. The September 8 report challenged that account, finding no such agreement with the United States. Former Defence Minister Viola Amherd and armasuisse, the federal procurement agency, had made the earlier statements.
That gap between public assurances and the auditors' findings has made the F-35 deal a test of government accountability. Parliament now expects the Federal Council to identify failures, clarify responsibility and explain what safeguards will govern the remaining contract.
The Fixed-Price Gap Drives Costs
The missing fixed price sits at the centre of the controversy. Switzerland entered the F-35 procurement process expecting clear financial certainty for a major defence commitment. The auditors' report found that negotiations with Washington did not produce the fixed-price agreement previously described by officials.
The consequences have already reached the size of the order. The government originally planned to buy 36 aircraft, but it has since reduced the purchase to 30 after the United States demanded higher prices. The cut does not remove the underlying obligation to explain how the contract reached this point, particularly after Switzerland had publicly presented the arrangement as more financially settled.
The government is seeking CHF 394 million to cover additional costs. By the end of June, Switzerland had already paid nearly $2 billion for the jets. The overall budget set aside for the programme stands at CHF 6.4 billion.
Pfister told lawmakers that operating costs remain “on track” to meet the budget. That assurance addresses the future running of the fleet, while Parliament's immediate concern is the procurement record. Lawmakers are examining the price negotiations, the information provided to the public and the decisions that led to a smaller fleet at a higher cost.