Swiss voters split on $6.5 billion purchase of fighter jets

Zurich

Swiss voters were evenly split yesterday on the government’s plan to spend up to 6 billion Swiss francs ($6.46 bn) on new fighter jets, projections for broadcaster SRF based on partial results showed. Approving funding in the binding referendum would let the government decide next year among the Eurofighter from Airbus, the Rafale from France’s Dassault, Boeing’s F/A18 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.