BERN, Switzerland - On Nov. 18, the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin submitted an F-35 proposal to the Swiss government in support of Switzerland's New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) competition. Also on the same day, Airbus and Germany submitted their official offer to sell Eurofighters to Switzerland. Switzerland aims to replace its currently used F-5 and F/A-18 fleet with a more modern model.
The Eurofighter is in use by Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain.
"With the offer submitted today, we want to show that the Eurofighter is the best overall package for Switzerland," said Dirk Hoke, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. "It is the most modern fighter aircraft currently built in Europe and meets all the requirements demanded by Switzerland. By providing construction data and other important information, Switzerland will be given complete and independent control of the Eurofighter, guaranteeing full transparency. With over 200 suppliers in the Confederation, Airbus is already a strong partner for Switzerland, and we look forward to expanding this cooperation even further."
Lockheed and the U.S. government's F-35 proposal is a total package offering that includes up to 40 F-35A aircraft, a sustainment solution tailored to Swiss autonomy requirements, and a comprehensive training program.
"We are confident that our F-35 offer is the best and most affordable solution for the Swiss NFA competition," said Greg Ulmer, F-35 Program vice president and general manager. "We are offering the only 5th generation fighter at the cost of 4th generation aircraft while offering Switzerland an aircraft that will protect Swiss sovereignty for decades to come."
