Switzerland has chosen Lockheed Martin's (LMT.N) F-35A Lightning II as its next-generation fighter jet, the government said on Wednesday, angering opponents who have pledged a new referendum to overturn what they dubbed an unnecessary "Ferrari" option.
The $5.5 billion deal adds a 15th nation to the world's largest weapons project - a family of interconnected, single-engine jets to be used by the United States and its allies.
It came alongside a $2.1 billion agreement to buy the Patriot surface-to-air missile system from U.S. group Raytheon (RTX.N), with European competitors losing out on both deals.
