Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Business

Swiss to sign deal to buy F-35 fighters before referendum

FILE PHOTO: An F-35A Lightning II takes off for a mission from Al Dhafra Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in this picture released by U.S. Air Force on August 5, 2019. Chris Thornbury/U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS

The Swiss government will sign a contract by the end of March to buy 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, it said on Wednesday, pressing ahead without waiting for a referendum on the $5.5 billion deal.

Switzerland chose the F-35 last year as its next-generation fighter jet, angering opponents who said they would ensure a referendum was held to overturn what they called an unnecessary "Ferrari" option.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.