F-35 purchase questioned by the right

Right-wing support for the purchase of F-35 fighter jets is no longer unanimous. Following US President Donald Trump's announcement of 39% tariffs on Swiss products , National Councillor Hans-Peter Portmann (FDP/ZH) submitted a proposal to the National Council's Foreign Policy Committee , reports the SonntagsZeitung.

The elected official is calling for a "diplomatic offensive" by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs with the US government to allow for exit clauses in the event of unilateral price increases or delays in the delivery of US military jets. These conditions would also include the Patriot missile system.

Until now, only the Socialists and the Greens had opposed the purchase of the F-35s, the Sunday newspaper points out. But now, criticism is also spreading from the center-right, especially since the total cost of the fighter jets could increase by 1.3 billion francs. Former Federal Councilor Viola Amherd had promised that the 6 billion mark would not be exceeded.

Hans-Peter Portmann therefore considers it unacceptable that the United States is penalizing Switzerland commercially, while charging it a high price for new fighter jets . "We cannot impose this on our citizens," he declares.

The National Councilor also proposes a compromise solution to ensure that the Swiss army is equipped with enough combat aircraft: receiving only six of the planned 36 F-35s – already partially paid for in the United States – and ordering the other aircraft from European manufacturers.

Aircraft such as the Eurofighter, the Swedish Gripen, or the French Rafale could meet our country's urgent air defense needs. This dual-aircraft model is not new for Switzerland, as the army has long operated with F/A-18s and F-5 Tigers, as Hans-Peter Portmann points out.