The National Council’s Geschäftsprüfungskommission (GPK‑N) released a 95‑page report concluding that the Swiss government did not secure a fixed‑price agreement for the purchase of F‑35 fighter jets from the United States. The commission said the absolute statements made by the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (VBS) to parliament and the public could not be reconciled with the lack of such an agreement.
It further criticised the organisation of the negotiations, noting that the VBS did not establish a clear negotiating mandate and that the talks were conducted by an excessively small group. In some phases, even basic oversight such as a four‑eyes principle was missing, the report said.
The Bundesrat had announced a year earlier that the originally agreed fixed price for the 36 jets could not be honoured and requested an additional credit of nearly CHF 400 million to cover the U.S.‑claimed cost increases. Subsequently, the government said that, because of the higher costs, only about thirty new combat aircraft could be procured.
The GPK‑N traced the problem to institutional failure, singling out former defence minister Viola Amherd and the former project leader of Air2030, Darko Savic, both of whom resigned in spring 2025. The commission concluded that the cost overrun and the resulting reduction in jet numbers stemmed from inadequate preparation and oversight of the procurement process.
