Lawmakers from Germany's ruling coalition rejected a call from within their ranks to discuss cutting back an order for the Eurofighter combat aircraft, Europe's biggest defense project.
Coalition defense experts said they won't open talks on a proposal by lawmaker Hans-Peter Bartels, a Social Democrat, to cancel the purchase of the final batch of 68 planes. Bartels was cited by the Berliner Zeitung newspaper today as saying the aircraft is an anachronism and the 2.5 billion-euro ($3 billion) order should be dropped.
We can't gag lawmakers but we've no plans to talk about this any time soon said Ulrike Merten, the Social Democrat chairwoman of the all-party parliamentary defense committee, in a telephone interview in Berlin today.
Germany, Spain, Italy and the U.K. are due to sign a contract for a final order of the planes in 2008.That's time enough to talk again about this valid but thorny issue, Merten said.
German lawmakers, who approve the finance for military projects, are among the most vociferous critics of the Eurofighter, which was conceived 20 years ago to face the threat of massive Soviet air attack. Merten and other lawmakers say they want to take time to secure support among the four nations to alternatives to the aircraft, including drones, to avert breaching contracts with the plane's makers.
The Eurofighter is built by BAE Systems Plc, European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. and Finmeccanica SpA's Alenia unit. Germany,Spain, Italy and the U.K. agreed to buy 620 aircraft in three batches. Germany's bill may reach 18 billion euros for 180 Eurofighters, the Defense Ministry has said.
'Not Today'
The aircraft had an estimated cost of 30 billion euros in 1992, excluding weapons, or about a third of the current estimate, excluding delays and enhancements. Deliveries began in 2005.
The third consignment of aircraft is due for roll-out from 2010.Nobody would order 180 aircraft today,the Berliner Zeitung cited Bartels as saying.
Bartels, who is also a defense committee member, said in a separate telephone interview today from his home in Kiel that the German government
will definitely start talks this year with its partners to stop the third tranche.
Rainer Ohler, a Munich-based spokesman for EADS, today declined to comment
on Bartel's proposal. it's a political opinion,Ohler said in a telephone interview. The 1998 contract to buy the Eurofighter permitted the four partners to set terms and finance for the development of the aircraft
before delivery of separate batches.
it's no secret that we would prefer to drop the final order,said Rainer Arnold, the Social Democrats defense spokesman, in a telephone interview.
But there's a lot at stake, in obligations to our partners and to industry. It doesn't help to air things at this stage in public.
The Berlin-based Defense Ministry declined to comment.
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