Aviation

Switzerland signs deal to buy 36 F-35A fighter jets from US

The F/A-18 Hornets and F-5 Tigers that are now in service will be replaced by the new aircraft, which will be delivered between 2027 and 2030.

Air2030: Procurement contract signed for the F-35A

On September 19, 2022, at armasuisse in Bern, the National Armaments Director Martin Sonderegger and the Swiss F-35A Program Manager Darko Savic signed the purchase agreement. With this, a contract is established for the purchase of 36 F-35A aircraft. The F/A-18 Hornets and F-5 Tigers that are now in service will be replaced by the new aircraft, which will be delivered between 2027 and 2030.

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The purchase of 36 F-35As will cost a total of 6,035 billion Swiss francs, which is within the permitted financial volume set by the Swiss electorate. The contract has been signed by the National Armaments Director Martin Sonderegger and the Program Manager for the purchase of the new combat aircraft, Darko Savic.

The F-35A’s purchase costs also include specialized mission equipment, weaponry, and ammunition, as well as a logistics package, mission planning systems, training systems, and basic training. Additionally, the price for the integration into the Swiss command and control system, for industry-specific support services, a risk amount, the inflation rate in the USA, the country of manufacture, as well as the VAT on imports are also included.

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Switzerland is purchasing the aircraft from the US government through “Foreign Military Sales” (FMS), and under the same terms that Switzerland applies to itself. The US government then conducts the acquisition through its own contract with the manufacturer Lockheed Martin, which is clearly apparent to the DDPS. This contract contains legally enforceable definitions of the prices and contractual terms, which are also strictly enforced.

Offset agreement concluded in parallel to the procurement contract

The offset contract with Lockheed Martin was also signed by Peter Winter, the director of Program Air2030, and Darko Savic, the program manager for the F-35. The US company can now conduct offset transactions with the Swiss industry on the strength of this. This results in contracts for Swiss businesses with a total value of about 2.9 billion Swiss Francs.

https://jetlinemarvel.net/web-stories/switzerland-signs-deal-to-buy-36-f-35a/

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly