Switzerland orders 36 F-35 stealth fighter jets from Fort Worth’s Lockheed Martin
Traditionally neutral Switzerland has agreed to buy 36 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jets from Fort Worth’s Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.
Funding for the $5.5 billion agreement must still be approved by Switzerland’s parliament, where it could face opposition from those who object to the price, or don’t agree that the small central European nation needs the technology of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft to defend its mountainous terrain.
Nonetheless, the announcement Wednesday was cheered by leaders at the Fort Worth factory where the F-35s are made.
“We are honored to be selected by Switzerland and look forward to partnering with the Swiss government, public, air force and industry to deliver and sustain the F-35 aircraft,” Bridget Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of the F-35 Program, said in a statement. “With the selection, Switzerland will become the 15th nation to join the F-35 program of record, joining several European nations in further strengthening global air power and security.”
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is part of Lockheed Martin Corp., which is based in Bethesda, Maryland.
About 655 F-35s are in service today by the United States military and its allies. More than 1,380 pilots and 10,670 mechanical, repair and maintenance workers have been trained on the aircraft.
In Switzerland, the F-35A was chosen over competitors that included Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Rafale from France’s Dassault and the Eurofighter built by Airbus, according to Reuters.
The Swiss government also agreed to buy a Patriot surface-to-air missile system from another U.S. company, Raytheon.
