Germany cancels delivery of last 37 Eurofighters

[Tintin]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/ ... G220140219

(Reuters) - Germany will not take delivery of the final shipment of 37 Eurofighter jets, a defense source told Reuters on Wednesday.

Deputy Defense Minister Stephane Beemelmans told the parliamentary defense committee that the last 37 jets had been cancelled, the source said.

The cancellation means Airbus Group (AIR.PA), which makes the Eurofighter, will miss out on business. In 2011 the cost of a single Eurofighter in the first shipment of jets was put at 57 million euros.

Originally, the German military wanted 180 Eurofighters but there has never been a decision or a contract for the final tranche.

[Raptor25]

A solution to replace the belgian F16.... ( i joke)

[Thijs]

Will this cancellation result in disbanding of a squadron? Or will this result in less Eurofighters per squadron?

I assume these Eurofighters were already "virtually" assigned to a squadron.

Thijs

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Stefan]

AFAIK the news is that they will not be built (if I understand the news item correctly). The fact that the Luftwaffe was not going to 'use' them was already known;

Scramble 367 - Page 72;
Luftwaffe (AF)
Just four months after nodding ‘yes’ to splitting the tranche 3 order into a 3A (31 aircraft) and 3B (37 aircraft) component, the German government had decided that the Luftwaffe will not receive the final batch of 37. The aircraft will be made available for export. By doing this, the government does not reduce its original order of 180 aircraft. By doing this, the government is also becoming a competitor to EADS. More interesting, to us, is how this change will impact the future Orbat (37 aircraft is exactly one Geschwader).

In the meantime no conclusive plans have emerged AFAIK about the future of TLG33 and TLG51 after the Tornado is withdrawn from use.

Regards,
Stefan