Budget surge marks shift in Dutch defense: Netherlands makes new commitments to allied operations, joint strike fighter.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.

The Dutch government and defense industry will commit $800 million to the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter program during the next decade. That decision was driven, in large part, by the belief that the JSF is a sound business investment and has a bright future, said a senior Dutch military official.

The Netherlands is one of eight countries participating in the JSF program, designed to field a family of combat aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and the U.K Royal Navy. The other participating countries have not yet made specific orders, but are helping to fund the development phase of JSF and have a say in what capabilities they would like to see in the aircraft.

The $800 million Dutch investment will come from both government and industry sources, said officials.

"We have a lot of confidence in this program," said Lt. Gen. P.J.M. Godderij, deputy chief of the Netherlands Defense Staff.

"We do expect a considerable amount of industrial benefit, and also we are eagerly looking forward to the global project authorization of the JSF program," Godderij said during a meeting of defense industry executives, in Washington, D.C.

"For the past two and a half years, the Netherlands has conducted a rigorous technical and financial analysis of all potential candidates to replace its fleet of Lockheed Martin's F-16s. In both assessments, the JSF was ranked first," said Dutch Deputy Defense Minister Henk Van Hoof.

"We had to decide whether to buy off the shelf in the future, or to participate now. We made a thorough comparison of both possibilities in what we called our 'business case.' This case was based on our own assumptions and information, but of course, was also based to a considerable extent on information given to us by the Pentagon and U.S. industry," said Van Hoof. "That creates obligations."

In the end, he added, "we came around to join the JSF team, because the business case was positive and because we attach great importance to the participation possibilities."

The Netherlands has participated in the concept development phase of JSF since June 1997.

The JSF will replace the Royal Netherlands Air Force's fleet of F-16s, which are interoperable with U.S. fighters. U.S. and Dutch F-16s fought together during the Gulf War, the war in Kosovo and are currently operating as part of a coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom.

"Our fighters are trained in the U.S., and we have fought side-by-side," said Van Hoof.

During the campaign in...