The Swiss Federal Assembly has announced the approval of Switzerland´s Air2030 plan to acquire new fighter aircraft, the assembly said.
The assembly set a deadline of 2030 for aircraft delivery and service introduction.
Federal Decree on the Acquisition of New Combat Aircraft mandates that the acquisition cost no more than CHF 6 billion (at Jan. 2018 prices). The acquisition is to be coordinated technically and in terms of schedule with the parallel procurement of a ground-based air-defense system, which will be approved separately, and a cost ceiling of CHF 2 bn.
The Federal Assembly also finalized the offset requirements for the fighter purchase. Foreign suppliers awarded contracts under the program will have to compensate 60% of the contract value, of which 20% through direct offsets and 40% by indirect offsets to profit
Switzerland´s technology and security industrial base, and notably in the field of machinery; metallurgy; electronics and electrical engineering; optics; watch-making; vehicle and wagon construction; rubber and plastic products; chemicals; aeronautics and space; computer and software engineering, and cooperation with universities and research institutes.
As far as possible, these contracts will have to be split between German-speaking Switzerland (65%), French-speaking Switzerland (35%) and Italian-speaking Switzerland (5%).
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