The team is still on the way from Berlin to Hallbergmoos after one week of the Berlin Airshow, but the news continues to come in, some affecting Eurofighter Typhoon such as this one from the Netherlands. On Friday 30 May, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports: "In the Netherlands, one of the eight countries that have contributed funds to the F-35’s development, government officials hammered out a compromise Wednesday that leaves open the option of buying another aircraft. Minority members of the Dutch parliament, who have criticized the government’s long-range plan to buy F-35s, won a concession from the Defense Ministry. Parliament agreed to partial funding to allow the purchase of two F-35 test aircraft, but the deal requires the government to evaluate other aircraft as possible replacements for the country’s aging F-16s."

"In Europe, competitors have been pressuring countries expected to buy the F-35 to spend their money on the continent instead. The Swedish aerospace firm Saab has persuaded Denmark and Norway to give its Gripen fighter a second look.

Dutch opponents of the F-35 want to see the Gripen, the British-German Eurofighter consortium and the French-built Rafale also considered, as well as possibly Boeing’s F-18 Super Hornet. The uncertain cost of the F-35 has given critics room to press their case."

No need to comment the last sentence, but the Eurofighter consortium is indeed convinced that the Eurofighter Typhoon is best in the competition and the credible European alternative. The facts speak for themselves:

146 aircraft delivered to five Air Forces, Eurofighter Typhoon is the first line of European air defence.

39,000 in-service flying hours in ten units across Europe demonstrates operator confidence in the weapon system and its flexibility in satisfying the varying and exacting demands of the Air Forces.

Two export contracts secured, with the first nation, Austria, due to follow the lead of the four core Air Forces and place Eurofighter Typhoon on air surveillance duties this Summer.

Source: Eurofighter Typhoon
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