Swiss propose US-made F-35 fighters for air force renewal The Swiss executive branch has announced a proposal to purchase three dozen advanced fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin, which beat three rivals to land a contract worth more than 15.5 billion Swiss francs ($16.75 billion) over three decades. The Federal Council, the Swiss seven-member executive, decided Wednesday it will advise parliament to buy 36 F-35A fighters from Lockheed Martin, as well as five Patriot ground-based air-defence system units from US contractor Raytheon, for another 3.6 billion francs, over 30 years. The purchases are part of a multi-year fleet refurbishment by the Swiss air force called Air2030 because the division''s current equipment will reach the end of its service life by 2030, the defense department said in a statement. Other contenders for the fighter-jet contract along with Lockheed Martin and Boeing''s F|A-18 Super Hornet were France''s Rafale -- produced by Dassault Aviation -- and the Eurofighter from an Airbus-led consortium. The decision was made after a comprehensive technical evaluation based on a cost-benefit analysis, the department said, adding the total F-35A costs including procurement and operating costs came in 2 billion francs less than the second-lowest bidder.