Major Assembly Begins on Switzerland’s First F-35A Fighter Jet
In a monumental step for the modernization of its national defense, Switzerland has reached a critical milestone in the Air2030 program. The main assembly of the first Swiss F-35A Lightning II has officially commenced at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Marietta, Georgia. Representing a massive technological leap for the Swiss Air Force, this initial production phase initiates a transatlantic journey that will see Swiss pilots training in the US by 2027 before the fifth-generation stealth fighters finally touch down in the Alps in 2028. How is the production of this cutting-edge fleet being structured across the globe?
The Center Wing Assembly: The Heart of the Airframe
According to the Federal Office for Defence Procurement (armasuisse) and Lockheed Martin, the manufacturing process has entered a pivotal stage. The first major structural component—the Center Wing Assembly (CWA)—is now being integrated.
The CWA is the largest single subassembly of the aircraft. It accounts for approximately 25% of the entire fuselage and serves as the primary structural spine where the wings will eventually be attached. The production line at Marietta specializes in this complex fabrication, drawing on an international supply chain consisting of more than 2,100 suppliers worldwide to bring the advanced multi-role stealth fighter together.
The Deployment Timeline: From Arkansas to the Alps
While the physical assembly of the first jet is underway in Georgia, the Swiss Air Force will not immediately bring the aircraft home. The integration of a fifth-generation platform requires extensive doctrinal and technical acclimatization.
| Phase | Estimated Timeline | Location | Strategic Purpose |
| Initial Delivery & Training | Mid-2027 | Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas (USA) | The first 8 Swiss F-35As will be stationed here to conduct intensive pilot and maintenance crew training. |
| Arrival in Switzerland | Mid-2028 | Swiss Air Bases | The trained cadre will transfer the initial aircraft to Swiss soil, achieving initial operational capability. |
| Fleet Completion | Post-2028 | Cameri, Italy (FACO) | The remainder of the fleet will bypass the US and be delivered from the Final Assembly and Check-Out facility in Europe. |
Industrial Cooperation and European Integration
Procuring the F-35A is not merely an arms purchase; it is a long-term industrial commitment. As part of offset agreements, Lockheed Martin is collaborating heavily with Swiss industry partners in research, development, and sustainment. Notably, Swiss defense firm RUAG is heavily involved in technology transfer initiatives to ensure sovereign maintenance capabilities.
Furthermore, shifting the final assembly of the majority of the fleet to the Cameri facility in Italy streamlines logistics and deepens Switzerland’s defense ties within the European aerospace sector. This hybrid approach ensures that while the core technology remains American, the sustainment and final integration become fundamentally European.
As the first rivets are driven into the CWA in Marietta, Switzerland moves definitively closer to retiring its aging F/A-18 Hornets, securing its sovereign airspace with the most advanced sensor-fusion and stealth technology available on the global market.
