06:30 GMT, June 10, 2009 defpro.com | Germany is planning to reduce its original order for Eurofighters by 37 aircraft, resulting in a savings of billions of Euros – at least for the time being. This decision was made public in a document released yesterday by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
In 1997 the German Bundestag approved a joint contract with Britain, Italy and Spain, as members of the Eurofighter consortium, to purchase 180 Eurofighters. According to the terms of the contract, however, the €14.6 billion German investment will be exhausted following the purchase of 143 aircraft.
The document indicates that the Bundestag's budget committee recommends going along with the scheme,based upon a preliminary agreement reached in March, under which the four nations agreed to split the planned Tranche 3 order for a total of 236 aircraft (including 68 for Germany) into two half-tranches (3A and 3B), with a first order being placed for 112 aircraft worth some €80 billion. Within this total, the UK is to take 40 TYPHOONs, Germany 31, Italy 21 and Spain 20. A decision on whether or not to order the remaining aircraft under Tranche 3B was to be postponed until 2012,. Germany is the first member country having explicitly indicated that it does not intend to proceed beyond Tranche 3A, unless the government manages to find foreign customers for its older Tranche 1 Eurofighters.
Hans-Peter Bartels, a member of the German Bundestag, said the federal budget has many problems that are not all related to the Bundeswehr. Bartels said that 143 Typhoon aircraft are adequate for the present security policy framework. The Eurofighter would not be further financed,” he said.
A final German decision on the Tranche 3A is expected by the end of this month.
The memorandum of understanding between the four countries specifies that if a country withdraws unilaterally from the programme or reduces its order, it must compensate the other partners for the resulting higher costs they are facing. However, Bartels has already said that a claim of €3 billion for the full amount of the 1997 contract will not be paid.
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