US and Switzerland discussing F-35 jet sales
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Defense officials from the US and Switzerland discuss deepening security cooperation between their countries.
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US Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks met with Swiss Minister of Defense Viola Amherd
Pentagon spokesperson Eric Pahon said on Friday that US Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks met with the Swiss Minister of Defense Viola Amherd in order to discuss weapons sales to Switzerland.
Pahon said in a statement that Hicks announced her strong support "for the sale of 36 F-35A aircraft and five Patriot missile systems to Switzerland.”
Hicks and Amherd also discussed deepening cooperation between their two countries in matters of cybersecurity and boosting national security by tackling climate change.
Switzerland made a $5.5 billion deal with Lockheed Martin in June 2021 to supply it with 36 F-35 jets, while the deal with Raytheon for five Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems is worth $2.1 billion.
Germany revealed in March that it will acquire 35 Lockheed Martin F-35s from the United States to upgrade its aging Tornado fleet, marking the first defense deal for the country since Chancellor Olaf Scholz's promise to spend some 100 billion euros on upgrading Germany's defensive capabilities in response to the war in Ukraine.
