USA Today: US Senate agrees to cut off new spending for F-22 jets - can Britain and the Netherlands still afford to buy the plane?

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US Senate agrees to cut off new spending for F-22 jets - can Britain and the Netherlands still afford to buy the plane?

The Senate has sided with the Obama administration in agreeing to cut off new spending for the F-22 jet fighter program. The 58-40 vote removes $1.75 billion set aside in a defense policy bill to build seven more F-22 Raptors, adding to the 187 stealth technology fighters already in the pipeline.Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that the Pentagon has enough of the $140 million jets to meet operational needs and President Obama has threatened to veto the defense bill if Congress ignores the request that the program be terminated.

Note EU-Digest: Both Great Britain and the Netherlands have their eyes on the Lockeed F22.Given the US cancellation in ordering this plane the question could be asked if Britain and the Netherlands can afford ordering this aircraft given the deteriorating economic environment in their countries which requires different priorities than military ones.