Dutch May Abandon JSF Fighter Purchase

12:00 AM, August 22, 2012
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The Dutch may abandon plans to buy the Lockheed Martin JSF fighter jet, amidst plans to cut defence spending to help the government save money, according to Maurice de Hond research for the Clingendael foreign policy institute. Earlier this week it emerged the first Dutch JSF is undergoing test flights in the US. The cabinet has put off making a final decision on whether or not to press ahead with the purchase and is leaving the issue up to the next government. The Clingendael survey also shows voters consider ‘standing up for Dutch economic interests’ to be the most important aspect of foreign policy, the Volkskrant reports. More than half the 1,500 people polled also back cutting development aid and spending on the EU. The outgoing government is already cutting spending on defence by €4bn and reducing the size of the armed forces by 12,000.

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