Lockheed Martin secures F-35 deal with Switzerland. Here’s how it affects Fort Worth.

The largest employer in Fort Worth secured a new international deal earlier this week.

The government of Switzerland agreed to purchase 36 F-35As from Lockheed Martin on Monday morning. Up to 28 of the aircraft will be manufactured in Cameri, Italy, but some of the aircraft will be produced in Fort Worth’s production facility, according to a Lockheed Martin spokesperson.

“Switzerland’s decision to procure the F-35 further demonstrates the strength of the program and provides confidence in the backlog of important work we have for our more than 18,000 employees in Fort Worth,” said Bridget Lauderdale, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II program.

The Fort Worth Lockheed Martin plant employs 18,200 people and produces a Fort Worth aeronautics payroll of $2 billion, according to the company. More than 56,600 jobs in Fort Worth are directly and indirectly supported by the aerospace company. The global security provider has had a combined direct and indirect economic impact on Fort Worth of $4 billion, according to the company.

With the new Swiss procurement of F-35 fighter jets, future economic impact could be even greater.

“Switzerland will benefit from Lockheed Martin’s dedication to autonomy and sovereignty in integrating indigenous solutions,” the company said in a statement. “We look forward to growing the partnership with the Swiss Air Force and industry to deliver and sustain the aircraft for decades to come. As the most capable, affordable and interoperable fighter in the world, we are confident the F-35 is the best value solution to meet Swiss needs.”

In addition to the aircraft, the Swiss deal includes mission-specific equipment, weapons and ammunition, a logistics package, mission planning systems, training systems and initial training, according to the company.

The company said the procurement amounts to 6,035 billion Swiss Francs, or U.S. $6.25 billion. The aircraft will replace Switzerland’s current fleet of F/A-18 Hornets and F-5 Tigers from 2027 to 2030.