By IRNA,
London : Britain is considering pulling out of a Pnds 9 billion (Dlrs 16 bn) project with America to produce the new controversial Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, which has been under development for more than a decade.
Although the planes, which were set to replace the UK’s harrier fleet, were intended to fly off the UK’s forthcoming massive aircraft carriers, according to the Sunday Times, the government is under pressure to plug a Pnds 1.5 bn shortfall in its defence budget.
The weekly suggested that the air force’s 25 new Airbus A400 transport aircraft, which has also consistently failed to meet deadlines, could also be at risk but would only save a total of Pnds 1.5 bn.
The UK had originally planned to buy 150 JSFs, at a spiraling cost of up to Pnds 15 bn, but was said to have now commissioned studies to analyse whether Eurofighters, which it is also buying in a European consortium, could be adapted to fly off the carriers.
Britain is committed to buy 232 Eurofighters in a project costing Pnds 16 bn, but this is being partly offset by selling 72 to Saudi Arabia as part of a Pnds 6 bn deal.
Both plane projects have been plagued with controversy and delays amid concerns that each could be out-of-date with technological advances by the time of deliveries.
The Sunday Times suggested that if Britain chose to abandon the JSF, it will be seen as a further snub to the Americans following Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s decision last week not to send 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan.