Swiss voters approve $6.5 bln purchase of fighter jets

Swiss voters backed the government's plan to spend up to 6 billion Swiss francs ($6.46 billion) on new fighter jets in a surprisingly close referendum that was won with a 50.2% majority, official results showed on Sunday. Opinion polls had shown the plan would easily win approval in a country where armed neutrality is a tradition. ($1 = 0.9284 Swiss francs)


Reuters | Zurich | Updated: 27-09-2020 21:13 IST | Created: 27-09-2020 21:07 IST
Swiss voters approve $6.5 bln purchase of fighter jets
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Swiss voters backed the government's plan to spend up to 6 billion Swiss francs ($6.46 billion) on new fighter jets in a surprisingly close referendum that was won with a 50.2% majority, official results showed on Sunday.

Opinion polls had shown the plan would easily win approval in a country where armed neutrality is a tradition. Approving funding in the binding referendum will let the government decide next year among the Eurofighter from Airbus, the Rafale from France's Dassault, Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, or the Lockheed Martin F35-A Lightning II.

The aircraft would replace Switzerland's aging fleet of 30 F/A-18 Hornets, which will go out of service in 2030. New jets are to be delivered by 2025. ($1 = 0.9284 Swiss francs)

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