Swiss officially receive Eurofighter offer
Airbus and the German government announced on 18 November that a formal offer has been submitted to Swiss defence procurement agency Armasuisse to provide Eurofighter Typhoon for the Air2030 fighter modernisation programme.
‘The offer has been prepared in cooperation with the other Eurofighter nations as well as the industrial partners Leonardo and BAE Systems,’ Airbus noted in a statement.
The German ambassador to Switzerland, Michael Flügger, argued that procurement of Typhoon would enable closer interoperability between the Swiss and German air forces, given the recent official order from Berlin for 38 Tranche 4 Eurofighters.
Dirk Hoke, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said the proposal includes provision of construction data ‘and other important information’ to the Swiss authorities.
If Berne chooses to buy Typhoons, he added, ‘Switzerland will be given complete and independent control of the Eurofighter, guaranteeing full transparency’.
Under Air2030, Switzerland intends to buy 36-40 aircraft to replace its fleet of F/A-18 Hornets and F-5 E/F Tigers. A national referendum held on 27 September this year resulted in a slim majority in favour of proceeding with the programme.
Other contenders besides Eurofighter Typhoon include the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Dassault Rafale and the F-35A from Lockheed Martin.
The total programme is expected to be worth around CFH6 billion ($6.07 billion), Shephard Defence Insight notes. The Swiss Air Force will decommission its F-5 fleet before the new multirole fighters are delivered, with the F/A-18s expected to be retired by 2030.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Swiss Air 2030 - Combat Aircraft [Switzerland]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
Singapore Airshow 2026: Airbus-RSAF H225M teaming tests point to future scalability
The tests between a Republic of Singapore Air Force H225M and Airbus Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system were designed to allow the crew to receive and process real-time data from the UAS while maintaining direct command and control.
-
Singapore Airshow 2026: Saab eyes “share” in future fighter market, targets 2027 CCA demo flight
The Swedish government is expected to make a decision on the next steps of the Future Fighter System Concept programme by 2030, with the current second phase focusing on technology knowledge expansion and demonstration flights.
-
Singapore Airshow: Red Cat ramps up portfolio development amid “key” APAC opportunities
In the wake of its 1,842% year-on-year revenue increase in Q4 2025, Red Cat sees mass opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region as the company eyes an ongoing production increase and market growth.
-
India confronts widening military helicopter gap as border demands intensify
India’s major helicopter programmes are under the spotlight as the country turns to global partners to replace legacy helicopters with growing urgency.
-
Singapore Airshow 2026: Boeing’s MQ-28A targets key 2028 date as Block II ground tests begin
The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is the most mature CCA platform currently under development, with Boeing looking to accelerate its timelines and development of the aircraft.
-
Latin American air forces look beyond fighters to revamp transport aircraft fleets
The Mexican Air Force has become the first Latin American operator of the C-130J Super Hercules, but the service is not alone in acquiring a tactical airlifter in recent months.