Andrew Latham
Key Points and Summary: The recent decisions by Spain and Switzerland to turn away from the F-35 signal a deeper European reckoning with the costs of military dependence on the United States.
-Beyond price disputes, nations are balking at the F-35’s “sustainment monopoly,” where the U.S. controls all future upgrades, software, and operational data.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie “Mach” Kluesner, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers during the Southernmost Airshow Spectacular at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, on March 30, 2025. The team’s mission is to inspire, engage, and recruit the next generation of Airmen by showcasing the capabilities of the Air Force’s premier fifth-generation fighter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)
-This creates a strategic risk in an era of fraying alliances, forcing a choice between short-term capability and long-term autonomy.
-However, this pivot to European solutions is doomed to fail unless Europe overcomes its own chronic industrial fragmentation.
The F-35 Breakup in Europe
Spain shocked Europe with a decision to scrap its plans to purchase the F-35, and public opinion in Switzerland has begun to turn against that country’s planned acquisition.
Madrid had long been expected to select the F-35B to replace its Harrier force aboard the Juan Carlos I and augment its short- and medium-air-support capabilities. It has chosen instead to purchase 25 new Eurofighter Typhoons and double down on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Switzerland, where a referendum only three years ago greenlighted the acquisition of 36 F-35As for 6 billion Swiss Francs, is reconsidering after Washington’s refusal to lock in prices, and its decision to impose new tariffs on Swiss exports.
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