F-35 Costs Less than F-18 for Swiss Buyer

The US State Department approved two possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Switzerland. Swiss government prepares a tender to buy 40 aircraft for its air force and the approval permits Lockheed Martin and Boeing to officially take part at the tender. Switzerland will either buy 40 Lockheed Martin’s F-35 or Boeing’s F-18 and related equipment. According to the approval 40, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft and related equipment’s estimated cost is $7.452 billion.  On other hand, the cost of 40 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft and related equipment is estimated $6.58 billion.

The request for F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is 36 F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft; 72 F414-GE-400 engines (installed); four F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft; eight F414-GE-400 engines (installed); 16 F414-GE-400 engines (spares).

Besides aircraft there will be 44 M61A2 20MM gun systems; 25 Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR)/other targeting pod; 55 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Electric Warfare Countermeasures Receiving sets; 55 AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Countermeasures systems; 48 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems – Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS); 48 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS); 264 LAU-127E/A guided missile launchers; 48AN/AYK-29 Distributed Targeting Processor – Networked (DTP-N); 27 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems; 40AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical missiles; 50 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs); six AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Special Air Training Missiles (NATMs); four AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical guidance units; ten 10 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder CATM guidance units;  18 KMU-572 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-54; 12 Bomb MK-82 500LB, General Purpose; 12 Bomb MK-82, Inert; 12 GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) All-Up Round (AUR); and eight GBU-53/B SDB II Guided Test Vehicle (GTV).  Also included are AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars; High-Speed Video Network (HSVN) Digital Video Recorder (HDVR); AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles (NVG); AN/AVS-11 Night Vision Cueing Device (NVCD); AN/ALE-47 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Systems; AN/ARC-210 Communication System; AN/APX-111 Combined Interrogator Transponder; AN/ALE-55 Towed Decoys; launchers (LAU-115D/A, LAU-116B/A, LAU118A); Training Aids, Devices and Spares; Technical Data Engineering Change Proposals; Avionics Software Support; Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); Data Transfer Unit (DTU); Accurate Navigation (ANAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Navigation; KIV-78 Dual Channel Encryptor, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF); Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CADs/PADs); Technical Publications; AN/PYQ-10C Simple Key Loader (SKL); The total estimated cost is $7.452 billion.

The request for F-35A is; 40 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft; 46 Pratt & Whitney F-135 engines; 40 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Tactical Missiles; 50 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs); six Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Special Air Training Missiles (NATMS); four Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Tactical Guidance Units; ten Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II CATM Guidance Units; 18 KMU-572 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-54; 12 Bomb MK-82 500LB, General Purpose; 12 Bomb MK-82, Inert; 12 GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) All-Up Round (AUR); and eight GBU-53/B SDB II Guided Test Vehicle (GTV).  Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence/Communications, Navigational, and Identification (C4I/CNI); Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS); Full Mission Trainer; Weapons Employment Capability and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; The total estimated cost is $6.58 billion.