Posted on 12/03/2010 5:59:38 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The costs of the Joint Strike Fighter, the US fighter jet which is to replace the ageing Dutch fleet of F-16s, will be 1.4 billion euros higher than the original estimate. This is an increase of 20 percent over the amount of 6.2 billion euros which the government initially expected would buy 85 JSF planes. Parliament expressed shock at the increase, particularly at a time when the government has announced 18 billion euros’ worth of budget cuts.
On Thursday, Defence Minister Hans Hillen wrote in a letter to parliament that the higher costs are partly due to delays in the development and production of the first series of JSF planes in the United States. Rising costs of wages, raw materials, tools, and testing equipment also play a role.
In his letter, the minister says that the latest estimate is ‘significantly higher’ than the current JSF budget, whereas the defence budget as a whole will be shrinking over the next few years. Mr Hillen writes that he assumes operational and maintenance costs will amount to nearly 10 billion euros over the next 30 years. There have been no recent reviews of these estimates.
The JSF is to replace the outdated F-16’s of the Royal Dutch Air Force, but the Netherlands has not yet made a final decision on its purchase, even though it is taking part in the JSF’s development. However, the cabinet has announced it wants to buy a second test plane.
(Excerpt) Read more at rnw.nl ...
Has a military project ever come in less than estimated?
Remember, this plane was supposed to be in production 4 to 5 years ago.
>>Has a military project ever come in less than estimated?<<
How did the F-15, F-16 and F-18 do in that respect?
The Dutch need an Air Force?.. Why?..
For the same reason why Alaska needs its own Air National Guard. You have to remember that Europe in many ways is like a group of States, and each state has its own National Guard, that combine together to make NATO.
Shocking!!
Here in Boston the Big Dig was going to come in at around 2 billion or so.
Who is kidding who here?
The Dutch Air Force has been quite active supporting our efforts in Afghanistan.
No nation in the world is more exposed to eradication by air bombardment than Holland. Much of their land was harvested from the sea.
The Dutch play an important part in operations in the North Sea operations
Ping
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