Americans pressure Dutch for JSF
(BRUSSELS2)
Ultimate Hesitation. The Dutch, who have ordered 85 JSF (Joint strike fighter) fighter planes, are seriously testing themselves. One of the main parties in the ruling coalition, the PVDA (Social Democrat) would like to review the amount of the order. The cost of the order is not minor: nearly 10 billion $ (6,1 billion $ at the time), which, today, in the midst of austerity seems unwelcome. Representatives of the American Air Force and the arms producer Lockheed Martin therefore traveled to The Hague yesterday to meet MPs and journalists, as well as the Secretary of State for the defence, Jack de Vries (CDA), a warm supporter of the JSF"better and ultimately cheaper than other candidates".
The threat is clear. All means have been used. On the stick side, the vice-president of Lockheed, Tom Burbage, who threatens: if the Netherlands dismisses the JSF project in whole or in part, "future contracts will go to countries that are fully participating". On the carrot side, to add action to words, the Dutch Stork Fokker announced the same day "good" news: he would ensure for the JSF, the production of flaperons, mobile fins. A starting order which should mean an initial turnover of 200 million
of dollars which could rise to more than a billion dollars... provided that the Netherlands actually buys the JSF. 100 Jobs
first, then double. A happy coincidence...
NB: The main competitor of the JSF is the Swedish Gripen,Eurofighter and Rafale had thrown in the towel (also read: Saab lowers the price of its Gripen to snatch the market in the Netherlands - Fighter jet: did the Netherlands favor the F-35?).
