Dutch poised for U.S. "stealth" fighter decision

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | 12/08/01 | Paul Gallagher

[IoCaster]

Saturday December 8, 9:45 am Eastern Time

Dutch poised for U.S. "stealth" fighter decision

By Paul Gallagher

AMSTERDAM, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The Dutch government is set to decide next month if it will join a multi-billion dollar U.S. programme to develop and buy a new generation ``stealth'' fighter jet to replace its ageing F-16's, it said on Saturday.

The cabinet is due to decide in early January whether it will contribute to the cost of developing the radar evading F-35 in a project led by the Pentagon and U.S. defence contractor Lockheed Martin, a defence ministry spokesman said.

The Netherlands, which plans to replace its 140 F-16 fighters between 2010-2020, would be expected to contributed towards the heavy costs of developing the Joint Strike Fighter but gain lucrative F-35 development contracts in return.

``The cabinet has to decide whether the Netherlands wants to participate in the development of the Joint Strike Fighter,'' defence ministry spokesman Otte Beeksma told Reuters.

Britain joined the development drive in January, contributing $2 billion and pledged to buy 150 planes for the British Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. Each F-35 will cost an estimated $40 million to $50 million.

The U.S. is seeking to wrap up discussions with international partners for the development of the new jet as soon as possible.

By joining in jet fighter development programmes, participating countries stand to gain lucrative contracts for their defence and aerospace industries, helping to offset the cost of development and eventual purchase of the jets.

The Netherlands would be expected to contribute around 1.8 billion guilders ($726.7 million) towards the cost of developing the F-35, Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad reported in its Saturday edition.

The Dutch government -- which has not announced how many new jets it plans to buy by 2020 -- is prepared to spend around 12 billion guilders to replace its fighter jets, a government source told Reuters.

If it decides not to join in the development of the F-35 it could also opt to join rival development programmes by Europe's EADS and French group Dassault Aviation .

``We are still in the negotiation process with the three producers,'' Beeksma said.

The Dutch could also simply opt not to join any of the three rival programmes -- after weighing up the costs compared to the benefits to its aerospace and defence industry -- by simply buying jets ``off the shelf'' from any manufacturer.

The head of the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter programme said last month it was close to signing agreements with Italy and the Netherlands for their participation in the development of the F-35.

The Pentagon earlier this year chose Lockheed Martin over Boeing to build the F-35, with deliveries to start in 2008 and continue through 2040.

[lavaroise]

Holland, Western Europe's little North Korea.

[weikel]

What???? They are not socialist.

[IoCaster]

I'm surprised they can find anyone who'll put down the hashpipe long enough to learn how to fly a plane.

:o)

[lavaroise]

Last time the Pope visited Amsterdam, there were protestors officialy posting a reward for whoever would kill him. So, cross that, it's more like Europe's little Afghanistan.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Isn't weed legal there??

[knighthawk]

Yes, it is.

[absalom01]

I don't mean to offend, but both of your analogies are not called for. The Netherlands has its problems, like the rest of Europe (and Kalifornia, for that matter), but it's a long way from being a totalitarian nightmare like North Korea.

I saw on your home page that you're in Frankfurt -- I have noticed that the Dutch are still a bit cool toward their neighbors to the east, so your point of view might be a bit biased, if you're basing it on having visited on holiday.

Oh, and would you mind returning the bicycles?

Thanks

[lavaroise]

Granted, I exagerated on purpose, I just know down the line what democracy can do. After all the Taleban had been democraticaly chosen by the people of Kandahar (and so did the Germans with Hitler).

WHat I am afraid of, though, it is that Dutch groups had a fatwah on the Pope.

[weikel]

I don't agree with a bounty on the popes head but I'm not really a fan of either the current pope or the vatican ( which has not expressed support for America in this struggle).