Dutch F-35 OT going home.

[marsavian]

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/12/d ... f-35-jets/

Nato has said all its member states should come up with a ‘believable plan’ outlining how they will meet the agreed threshhold of spending 2% of GDP on defence by 2024. Most European countries are far below the threshold – the Netherlands, for example, spends just 1.35% of GDP on defence, the AD said. Defence minister Ank Bijleveld said in an official statement that the plan shows that the cabinet takes the current threats seriously. ‘The cabinet is committed to invest in defence,’ she said. ‘The Netherlands must take steps to remain a trustworthy ally.’ The minister told the AD that it is still unclear how much extra money will be allocated to defence.

Nor would she comment on how many extra JSFs – or F-35s as they are officially called – would be bought. ‘We will soon have two squadrons and Nato is asking for a third. That is 15 planes,’ she said. The Netherlands is currently committed to buying 37 of the fighter jets.. Broadcaster NOS said the government has five priorities to boost the armed forces. As well as buying more JSFs and tanks, ministers want to strengthen the elite special forces units, and boost cyber and information technology capacity.

[spazsinbad]

Dutch F-16s return from Middle East as F-35 ambitions grow
08 Jan 2019 Anno Gravemaker

"...Defence minister Ank Bijleveld on 14 December 2018 announced the Netherlands' intention to purchase another squadron of F-35s, in a measure that will be enabled by additional funding leading to the nation meeting a NATO spending target of 2% of GDP on defence.

According to this plan, the Netherlands will acquire 15 additional F-35s for around €1.2 billion ($1.1 billion), boosting an existing commitment to take 37 conventional take-off and landing examples.

Two Dutch F-35As are already involved in operational test and evaluation work performed at Edwards AFB, California, while six more will be stationed at Luke AFB in Arizona to support the training of pilots from the Netherlands and Denmark.

Aircraft to be assigned to a first operational squadron at Leeuwarden will arrive in the Netherlands this year, with a second unit to be formed at Volkel air base. The location for the nation's third frontline squadron has yet to be decided."

Source: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... on-454852/

[sprstdlyscottsmn]

That price... A follow up order COULD be as low as just the cost of aircraft delivered.

[ricnunes]

I'm also impressed with the price as well! That's USD $73 Million per unit/aircraft.

[spazsinbad]

The word 'around' was used in regard to the price so it is 'around whatever $ amount' I would say.

[sprstdlyscottsmn]

I'd say within 10% given that 1.2 was used. not 1, not 1.5. Seems to me that means it is closer to 1.2 than 1.1 or 1.3.

[usnvo]

I'm also impressed with the price as well! That's USD $73 Million per unit/aircraft.

That is because whoever did the conversion from Euros to Dollars in the origonal article needs to do some remedial math.

Current conversion is 1.16 dollars per euro. So E1.2B becomes $1.32B, not $1.1B. So $92.8m per aircraft. No way to know what is included in said sum, but still relatively inexpensive.

[steve2267]

It would seem some journalist has rather poor typing skills, and an editor that does not know how to proofread....

It makes MUCH more sense if the quote read:

According to this plan, the Netherlands will acquire 15 additional F-35s for around $1.2 billion (€1.1 billion), boosting an existing commitment to take 37 conventional take-off and landing examples.

$1.2B works out to $80M each for 15 units, which is what the target 2020 price has been for a while.

[usnvo]

It would seem some journalist has rather poor typing skills, and an editor that does not know how to proofread....

It makes MUCH more sense if the quote read:

According to this plan, the Netherlands will acquire 15 additional F-35s for around $1.2 billion (€1.1 billion), boosting an existing commitment to take 37 conventional take-off and landing examples.

$1.2B works out to $80M each for 15 units, which is what the target 2020 price has been for a while.

While the math works that way as well, since it is a Dutch budgetary plan, I would bet on the costs being quoted in Euros and someone using an exchange rate of 1.16 euros per dollar instead on 1.16 dollars per euro.

[ricnunes]

I'm also impressed with the price as well! That's USD $73 Million per unit/aircraft.

That is because whoever did the conversion from Euros to Dollars in the origonal article needs to do some remedial math.

Current conversion is 1.16 dollars per euro. So E1.2B becomes $1.32B, not $1.1B. So $92.8m per aircraft. No way to know what is included in said sum, but still relatively inexpensive.

Yes you're right usnvo, thanks for the reply!

Well this definitely teaches me to always double check every and any journalist.
But, I would expect that any "journalist" worth of its name would at least know the following site (or another one similar):
https://www.xe.com

Apparently I set my expectations (about journalists) "a bit" too high
And using the site above and at today's exchange €1.2 Billion would be USD $1.38 Billion and this divided by 15 would be USD $92 Million per aircraft indeed.

[botsing]

The amount in the Dutch press is 1.2 billion in euro. The press simply took 80 million euro per plane and multiplied that by 15.

[spazsinbad]

Maak kennis met de mensen achter de F-35 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuLav42flRU

[botsing]

The F-35 was front-page news today in The Netherlands, surprisingly it's a rather positive piece (in the past this same newspaper used every excuse to put the F-35 in a bad spotlight):

"Flagship in the spotlights"

"F-35 ready for action"

[spazsinbad]

The Royal Netherlands Air Force First Operational F-35 Rolls Out
30 Jan 2019 LM PR

"Dutch and American officials celebrated the roll out of the first operational F-35A Lightning II for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) at Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) in Fort Worth, Texas, commemorating a transformational leap in capability for the future of the Netherlands' national defense.

"Receiving this F-35 at Leeuwarden Air Base later this year is going to be a huge driver for change for our Air Force and will have tremendous impact on the relevance of our Air Force as part of the coalition," said Lt. Gen. Dennis Luyt, Commander, RNLAF. "We want to be among the best air forces of the world, and the platform of F-35 allows us to do that."...

..."From the very beginning of the F-35 program, the Netherlands has been a key partner in developing, testing, improving, and maintaining this remarkable aircraft," said Hewson [Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson]. "Dutch suppliers have provided high-volume production, structural-design support, and advanced technologies, and Dutch aircraft and personnel continue to support ongoing testing and operations for the worldwide F-35 fleet. As we look to the future, the Netherlands will serve as a sustainment hub in the European region for maintenance, repair, overhaul, and upgrade projects."

Following the ceremony, the aircraft is scheduled to ferry to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where F-35A pilot training takes place. The aircraft is the first operational F-35 and the third Netherlands jet delivered to date. The first two Dutch F-35s were delivered in 2013 and are at Edwards AFB, California, supporting operational testing. The RNLAF plans to acquire 37 F-35As...."

Source: https://www.f35.com/news/detail/lockhee ... -of-the-fi

[krorvik]

Some nice tailart: