The Dutch government backs up the JSF program

(BRUXELLES2) The future JSF / F-35 fighter plane has sparked a new battle in the second chamber in the Netherlands. Defense Minister Eimert van Middelkoop, wrote to Dutch MPs to tell them that he had no intention of giving in and canceling the order for the first JSF needed for the test phase.

This would lead to a position "irreversible“he believes that is contrary to the role of guardian of the law of a resigning government. We have “ not allowed  to make decisions that seriously affect the policy of the next government he says. The Minister also alerts MEPs to the fact that canceling the contract would cost a fine of 220 million euros.

This letter follows a reversal of the majority in the 2nd chamber, favored by the change of position of the PvDA, the social democrats. In a resolution voted on on May 20, Parliament in fact asked the government to review its involvement in the test phase and to reassess the entire JSF programme.

This announcement takes place during the election campaign. The elections in the Netherlands will take place on June 9th. And the question of the Dutch commitment at the level of defense (commitment in Afghanistan, purchase of the JSF, etc.) is, if not a key issue in the campaign, at least one of the criteria for differentiating between the contending parties.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)