RUAG and Lockheed Martin agreement for three F-35As in Emmen

Context

TL;DR

• RUAG MRO and Lockheed Martin continue the RIGI project
• Three F-35A aircraft will be assembled at the RUAG site in Emmen
• The first components are expected in the first half of 2027
• Production will start in autumn 2027

Key facts

• Agreement → RUAG MRO and Lockheed Martin
• Project → RIGI
• Aircraft → three F-35A
• Initial plan → four planes
• Headquarters → Emmen (LU)
• Components → first half of 2027
• Production → autumn 2027
• Locations worldwide → four for final assembly and testing

RUAG MRO and Lockheed Martin have signed an agreement to continue the cooperation in the framework of the RIGI project. The program involves the assembly of three F-35A fighter aircraft at the RUAG headquarters in Emmen (LU), destined to become one of only four locations in the world for the final assembly and testing of the fighters.

The industrial calendar

The agreement opens a new phase of the project and will allow Switzerland to acquire skills for future aircraft maintenance. The arrival of the first components in Switzerland is expected in the first half of 2027; production is expected to begin in the autumn of the same year. RUAG, a company owned by the Confederation, indicated these steps in a note.

The initial plan included four planes. In detailed planning, the number was reduced to three to adapt the program to the requirements and available resources. Planning therefore reduces the expected size of the assembly; in the same initiative, RUAG indicates the acquisition of know-how as one of the objectives of the project.

According to RUAG, the project will allow Switzerland to acquire know-how on the F-35A, a new generation fighter, and increase national autonomy in maintenance activities. The company also aims to equip itself with the skills to offer the Swiss Army comprehensive support for the entire operational life of the fighters in the future.

The project also aims to support regional employment and consolidate RUAG as a European center of competence in military aviation. In this framework, the initiative combines the acquisition of technical capabilities, support for maintenance and strengthening of the industrial role. In the press release, Jürg Rötheli, chairman of the board of directors of RUAG MRO Holding SA, underlined its strategic value for the future of the company. He also highlighted that participation in the F-35A program aims to contribute to Switzerland's security and defense capability.

Operational details

What it means for Switzerland

For those who live or work in Switzerland, the significance of the project lies not only in assembling three aircraft in Emmen. The new development concerns the type of expertise RUAG intends to build around the F-35A: final assembly, testing, knowledge of the aircraft and future maintenance. The Emmen site will become one of only four sites worldwide for the two main operational activities, a position that RUAG links to consolidating its role as a European center of expertise in military aviation.

Comparison with the initial plan

The first practical point is the change from four to three aircraft. The initial plan called for four aircraft; detailed planning reduced the number to align the program with the requirements and available resources. The updated figure is therefore three. The number four describes the initial setup, while three is the reference figure for the project in its detailed planning.

The second point is maintenance. The objective is not limited to the assembly phase: RUAG refers to know-how about the aircraft and Swiss autonomy in maintenance. The company also wants to develop the expertise needed to ensure full support for the Swiss Armed Forces in the future throughout the entire life cycle of the F-35As. The source therefore describes a process of acquiring and developing capabilities; it does not present full support as an activity that has already been completed.

The third point concerns employment. According to RUAG, the initiative will help secure jobs at the regional level. The source does not assign a number of hires to this objective or indicate job profiles. The employment impact is stated as a regional contribution, while the industrial value is linked to strengthening RUAG as a European center of expertise.

Key points

How to follow the project

To follow the project in a concrete way, it is useful to separate what has been signed, what has been scheduled and what RUAG intends to develop. This sequence makes it possible to read the updates without confusing the start of the collaboration with the start of production or future objectives with results already achieved.

Four operational checks

1. Agreement. The starting point is the signing between RUAG MRO and Lockheed Martin to continue the collaboration on the RIGI project. It is the step that opens the new phase described by the company.

2. Quantity. The updated reference is three F-35A for assembly in Emmen (LU). The number four belongs to the initial plan; detailed planning adopted three aircraft, taking requirements and available resources into consideration.

3. Calendar. The first deadline to observe is the arrival of the components in the first half of 2027. The second is the start of production in the autumn of the same year. These are two different moments: the first concerns the availability of the components, the second the beginning of production.

4. Results. The acquisition of know-how, Switzerland's autonomy in maintenance, full support for the Swiss Army and the contribution to regional jobs fall under the objectives and effects declared by RUAG. They should be read according to the verbs used by the company: acquire, strengthen, develop and contribute.

A useful criterion for the Swiss reader

Every future update can be compared with three indicators drawn from the source. The first concerns the site: Emmen will become one of only four sites in the world for final assembly and testing. The second concerns expertise: RUAG wants to acquire know-how about the aircraft and strengthen Switzerland's autonomy in maintenance. The third concerns the company's outlook: the company intends to provide full support to the Swiss Army throughout the F-35A life cycle and consolidate its European role.

Communication about employment should also be read precisely. RUAG links the initiative to the guarantee of jobs at the regional level, but does not provide a number. Therefore, it is more accurate to distinguish between industrial objectives, skills to be developed and completed results.

To get an overview of the employment side of the Swiss market, one can consult aziende che assumono, keeping the general search separate from the specific information on the RIGI project.

Source: tio.ch