Dutch MPs Vote to Cancel F-35 Buy But Final Say for Next Govt.

July 6, 2012 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Dutch News; published July 6, 2012)

MPs Back Call to Cancel New Fighter Jet, Next Cabinet Will Decide

As expected, a majority of MPs have backed calls for the Netherlands to pull out of the Joint Strike Fighter jet project, 10 years after the order was originally placed.

Left wing parties, the anti-Islam PVV and animal rights party PvdD backed a joint Labour and Socialist motion calling for Dutch investment in the JSF to be halted.

Defence minister Hans Hillen said after the vote he was not in a position to stop Dutch investment in the JSF because of the pending election. Instead, it will be up to the next government to decide whether or not to proceed, he said.

When the project was first put forward in 2002, the cost was put at €4.5bn and the first plane was due to be operational in 2014. The price of the 85 aircraft has now risen to over €64m each, with an initial delivery date of 2019.

Industrial giant Stork and other Dutch firms have warned of the knock-on effect of pulling out of the project, which is expected to generate billions of euros in orders for Dutch firms. The contracts are conditional on the Netherlands buying the finished planes. (ends)

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Dutch Plans to Buy F-35 Fighter Jets In Doubt (excerpt)

(Source: Reuters; published July 5, 2012)

AMSTERDAM --- The Netherlands should scrap plans to buy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets because it cannot afford the project's ballooning costs as the country attempts to cut spending, a majority of parliament said on Thursday.

One leading party, Labour, will submit a proposal to the 150-seat legislature on the last session before Sept. 12 elections calling for an end to Dutch participation in the Lockheed Martin Corp warplane project.

Whether the Netherlands, which has already ordered two F-35 test planes, will quit the project depends on the outcome of the elections, and the new government that takes office afterwards. (end of excerpt)

Click here for the full story, on the Reuters website.