BERN, Switzerland — Production of Switzerland’s F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft is progressing at Leonardo’s Cameri facility in Italy, where the first Swiss fuselage section has been assembled with a wing, according to Switzerland’s federal defence procurement agency, Armasuisse.
The fuselage section carries serial number MJ-4 and will form part of aircraft J-6004. Its matching wing is also being manufactured at Cameri. Once structural work is completed, the fuselage and attached wings will be transported to Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, for integration with the remaining aircraft components.
Switzerland selected the F-35A in 2021 under its Air2030 modernization programme to replace its F/A-18 Hornets and remaining F-5 Tigers. A 2022 contract for 36 aircraft was originally valued at approximately 6.035 billion Swiss francs.
Higher costs linked to inflation, raw materials and other factors later affected the programme. In late 2025 and early 2026, the Swiss Federal Council decided to procure the maximum number of aircraft possible within the voter-approved financial framework of approximately 6 billion Swiss francs. Current projections indicate around 30 aircraft, with the final number depending on future production-lot contracts negotiated by the U.S. government.
Main assembly of the first Swiss F-35A began earlier in 2026 at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Marietta, Georgia. The first eight U.S.-built aircraft are scheduled to be based at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas, from mid-2027 for Swiss pilot and ground personnel training before being progressively transferred to Switzerland. Overall deliveries are planned from 2027 to 2030.
The first F-35A produced at Cameri is expected to reach Switzerland in mid-2028, while J-6004 is scheduled to arrive at the end of 2029.
Switzerland plans to introduce the aircraft at three military airfields, beginning at Payerne in mid-2028, followed by Meiringen in 2030 and Emmen in 2032.
Cameri is Europe’s only F-35 final assembly and checkout facility and one of three worldwide, alongside Fort Worth and Nagoya, Japan. The site can produce up to 20 aircraft annually, manufactures about one-third of all F-35 wings, and produces F-35A and F-35B aircraft for Italy.
The F-35 programme involves more than 2,100 suppliers worldwide. Italy is one of five European partner nations, alongside the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. The centre fuselage is manufactured in Germany, while the rear fuselage is produced in the United Kingdom.
Armasuisse said production of Swiss F-35A components at Cameri reflects the programme’s international and European industrial structure. Switzerland considers geographical proximity, industrial cooperation and security cooperation with European partner countries important elements of the programme.
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