Dutch Government coalition labor party opposes purchasing F-35 prototype
A crisis is brewing in the Dutch cabinet over the proposed purchase of two US-built Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) prototype jet fighters. The JSF is the proposed successor to the fleet of F16s currently used by the Royal Dutch Airforce. A decision on whether to spend 6.1 billion euros to buy 85 of the JSF fighters does not have to be taken until 2010. However, the three coalition parties do have to decide this year whether to buy the two prototypes. Coalition member the Labor Party now opposes the purchase, which would cost 274 million euros. It says that while it wants the Netherlands to remain involved in the development of the fighter - because this will offer employment and research opportunities to Dutch companies - it also believes that agreeing to buy the prototypes will commit the country to further purchases. Labor supporters are opposed to spending such a huge sum of money on a fighter jet in these troubled economic times.
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