Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Dutch Bail on F-35

It was close - 77 to 71 - but it was enough for the Dutch parliament to cancel their planned purchase of 80 F-35 stealth light attack bombers.

Lockheed is trying to put the best face on the setback, saying the Dutch could always change their minds - and votes - and hop back into the multinational programme.   The vote has also sent shockwaves through Finmeccanica, whose Rome-based Aeromacchi plant was supposed to build the F-35 for the Italian and Dutch air forces.
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4 comments:

  1. Steve12:29 PM, July 10, 2012

    The Dutch are clever people.

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  2. Boris2:56 PM, July 10, 2012

    Flightless bird now. Ever see this: http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2012/03/top-gun-2-will-rock-the-f-35-t.html

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  3. e.a.f.11:15 PM, July 10, 2012

    The Dutch have always been a careful people when it comes to money. They like a good deal, and no amount of wining & dinning will get around it. i guess other countries might want to have a look at the Dutch position, maybe like Canada, but hey, our defense minsiter Peter Mackay just loves all those bells & whistles & he isn't paying for them.

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  4. Mark, Ottawa2:08 PM, July 11, 2012

    Related, at the Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute's "3Ds Blog":

    "F-35: More on Possible USN Wobbling/US Costs"

    Mark
    Ottawa

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