Swiss sign controversial $6B deal to purchase F-35 fighters

GENEVA (AP) — Swiss officials have formally signed a procurement contract to buy three dozen F-35 fighter jets from the United States as part of a planned refurbishment of Switzerland’s air force that has run afoul of critics of the big defense purchase. The head of Switzerland’s armaments service and F-35A program director inked the deal that is set to total just over 6 billion Swiss francs (dollars) for the planes that will be delivered between 2027 and 2030. The planned purchase has already been signed by the United States, where manufacturer Lockheed Martin has its headquarters, the Swiss government said in a statement.