Demand US Authorities Investigate Delays, Rising Costs

Watching the cost of an F-35 continue to climb, wondering when the Joint Strike Fighter will be delivered, the Dutch Labor Party now wants the American government to investigate why the Netherlands will have to wait so long and get fewer aircraft for their euros.

The Netherlands signed on for the JSF more than two years ago, pledging $800 million. In return, according to Radio Netherlands, the Dutch government expected to sign plenty of lucrative contracts to produce F-35 components.

So far, the price for each JSF has risen by almost a third, from $40.1 million to $58.3 million. The prototype is behind scheduled and those money-laden contracts Dutch manufacturers had been hoping for have so far failed to materialize.

"I guess the good news is there are developments," said the University of Amsterdam's Rudolph Janssens, in an interview with Radio Netherlands. "They've decided that the prototype plane will be finished in August 2006. That's the positive news. The bad news is that it's going to cost more, and there are still all kinds of unclear issues about it, in the sense that the American Department of Defense decided to buy fewer planes, and they are wondering -– especially the air force -– how many they can afford."

Will the Hague pull out of the JSF deal? No, said Janssens -- at least, not yet. "They pledged $800 million, yet it seems seem like they’re not willing to pull back, either. It’s not easy to pull back, in any case."

But he pointed out a wave of dissatisfaction sweeping Dutch industry. In the Netherlands, he said, there's a groundswell of opinion that the US has reneged on a deal. "The problem there is especially that there was a promise on the American side that if the Dutch bought these Joint Strike Fighters, then Dutch industry would get what’s called 'recompensation orders.' So, the Americans would actually place orders for parts of the fighter plane with Dutch industries. But there are lots of complaints from Dutch industry that this is not happening."

Janssens told RN there's also the issue of transferring technology from the US to Europe. "[T]hat's distrust on the American side. They're not too keen on having technology being built in another country for their own fighter planes.... It’s all about jobs, too, and about the economy."

Ultimately, Janssens said the JSF will probably be built and the Dutch will probably go ahead with their purchase. "But I think a lot of people will be disappointed too. What I mean is that there will be fewer fighter planes being bought, and it will be at a higher cost than everybody expected."

FMI: www.jsf.mil