Swiss F-35 infrastructure costs soar above budget

Converting Swiss airfields for a new fleet of F-35 fighter jets is behind schedule and over budget, according to a report by federal auditors. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox New infrastructure is needed to house and operate the aircraft, which are due to start arriving from the United starts in mid-2027. The exact number and price of the F-35s is still unclear following a contentious and drawn-out procurement. What is clear is that new infrastructure is needed to operate the aircraft. This includes hangars and simulator rooms for pilot training and mission planning. The military airfields in Payerne, Meiringen, and Emmen must therefore be fitted out in time for their arrival. Construction work at Payerne began in spring 2025, six months behind schedule, according to auditors. And finances set aside for the project have already been exhausted. Work at the Meiringen and Emmen military airfields has been delayed for at least a year. The report from the ...