News in English 13. nov 2009 KL. 09.14

Industry demands more from Lockheed

The Danish confederation of industries DI has demanded guarantees of counter purchases if Denmark is to buy Lockheed’s F-35.

tekst del send

Send artikel

Til:

(E-mail, adskil flere med komma)

Fra (E-mail): Besked:
print

Di – which is the Danish confederation of industries – has written to the defence and industry ministers, demanding contractual guarantees of counter purchases if Denmark is to buy its next generation of fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin.

Denmark is currently in the final stages of deciding who will win its DKK 20 – 30 billion order for fighters to replace its ageing F-16s; Lockheed Martin, Boeing or Saab – with Lockheed Martin currently favourite.

In its letter to the Defence Minister Søren Gade and Economy and Trade Minister Lene Espersen, DI is demanding that Lockheed Martin contractually agrees to ensure Danish industrial participation at a level that at least corresponds to the total purchase price.

Counter purchases
Under Danish law, agreements on arms purchases of this size must include counter purchases. Lockheed Martin and the U.S. administration, however, entered into a special agreement with Denmark which allowed the country to take part in the development of the F-35. But Danish industry, which had expected more jobs from the agreement, says the deal has not lived up to expectations.

”Developments have not lived up to our expectations. Norway has already chosen the F-35 and wants the agreement with Lockheed Martin changed so that counter purchases for the full purchase sum are guaranteed. We feel Denmark should do the same,” says Arms Industry Chairman Jan Falck Schmidt of Falck Schmidt Defence Systems.

Lockheed says no
Lockheed Martin’s CEO, however, rejects the demands saying that cooperation with Denmark will succeed if the Danes buy the F-35.

“If you look at the overall lifetime of the program, we have identified order potential for Denmark of some DKK 25 billion,” Latham says.

Asked why Lockheed Martin is unable to provide a written guarantee, Latham says he is not permitted to do so.

”The agreement between the United States and, among others, Denmark in connection with the F-35 project, does not permit direct counter purchase agreements. But we have done business with Denmark for 30 years and have always lived up to our obligations,” Latham says.

Edited by Julian Isherwood

Annonce
Annoncer:
Danmark 18. mar 12.29
Forår. I dag er årets hidtil varmeste dag. - Foto: DRESLING JENS

DMI: I dag er årets hidtil varmeste dag

Foråret er landet. Sådan ser det i hvert fald ud på temperaturmåleren.

Danmark 18. mar 13.35

Kuppet borgmester erkender lovbrud

Rygter om socialbedrageri førte til politianmeldelse. S-gruppe i Glostrup splittet.

Politiken TV 18. mar 14.12

Voldsom cyklon skaber massiv ødelæggelse

Op til 130.000 mennesker på Fiji har brug for nødhjælp.

18. mar 13.33
Råt og enkelt. Fiskebaren i Kødbyen er netop blevet optaget under 'Bib Gourmand' i den lille røde madbibel Guide Michelin. Her finder man alt godt fra havet til rimelige priser. - Foto: Miriam Dalsgaard

Guide: Michelin på økonomiklasse

Find michelinguidens 'value for money'-spisesteder i København.

Danmark 18. mar 12.08
Vordende. Kathrine Schmidt Jensen (t.v.) og Natalia Bien glæder sig til at udvide familien. Men Natalia har ikke flere rettigheder over deres søn, end andre mennesker har, når han kommer til verden. - Foto: Mik Eskestad

Lesbiske snydes for forældreorlov

Familiestyrelsen nøler i sager om åben donor. Det stiller lesbiske uden rettigheder over deres børn.

Danmark Seneste nyt

Debat Seneste nyt

Annoncer

BANGLADESH IS DROWNING

Foto: JONATHAN BJERG MØLLER

Bangla Desh is a country hard hit by the whims of a changing climate. See the narrated series of pictures taken by Politiken’s photographer Jonathan Bjerg Møller.


Chapter 1: Nature’s laboratory
Chapter 2: Cyclone Aila’s victims
Chapter 3: The island without men
Chapter 4: The slum a lawyer owns
Chapter 5: The town that disappeared
Chapter 6: The story of Bangla Desh


Read more

About this site

You are currently viewing the English section of Politiken.dk. The section provides the main stories of the day from Monday to Friday and is edited by Julian Isherwood.

Politiken is one of Denmark’s largest newspapers and has been published since 1884. The newspaper is owned by the Politiken Foundation and is part of the JP/Politikens Hus publishing group. Politiken is independent of all political parties and organisations.