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The Swiss government is weighing the possibility of canceling its purchase of the Patriot air defense system from the U.S. due to significant delays in delivery, according to Defense Minister Martin Pfister on Wednesday.
“Cancellation remains an option if there are delays,” he told the ATS-Keystone news agency.
Earlier in the day, the defense ministry announced it would halt payments for the system until the U.S. provides confirmed new delivery dates and payment deadlines.
Switzerland, which is not a NATO member, ordered five Patriot systems in 2022, with initial delivery expected to start this year and complete by 2028.
However, in July of last year, the government was informed by the U.S. Defense Department that delivery schedules for Switzerland would be postponed as Washington redirected support toward Ukraine.
Switzerland first stopped its payments for the system last autumn.
Pfister explained, “We still expect to receive the system, but we’re unsure when that will happen,” noting that various options are being considered by the government.
“One possibility is to cancel the order, but we are still evaluating the conditions,” he added.
Last week, the Swiss government disclosed that the U.S. had bypassed the freeze on its Patriot system payments by diverting Swiss funds into the same account used to purchase a fleet of F-35A fighters.
This maneuver was authorized, according to Urs Loher, head of Switzerland’s armaments department.
The Swiss Defense Ministry warned that if funds fall below a critical level, projects could be halted or abandoned altogether, potentially affecting not just the Patriot deal but the entire Swiss defense portfolio under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
Washington has assured Switzerland it will update the country soon on the next steps, delivery timelines, costs, and potential implications of any interruption.
A recommendation was expected to be submitted to the Swiss government by the end of June 2026.
Earlier this March, Switzerland announced plans to consider acquiring an additional long-range surface-to-air missile system, preferably European-made, to supplement the Patriot.
Last month, the government also revised down its F-35 purchase from 36 to 30 aircraft, citing increased costs driven by inflation and rising raw material and energy prices after U.S. authorities raised the price last year.
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