, The United States and Netherlands agreed Tuesday to continue cooperation on the Joint Strike Fighter program after the new fighter jet enters production, the Pentagon said.
The first flight test of the multi-role fighter, which has been dubbed Lightning II, is scheduled for next month, ushering in the production phase of what is expected to be the biggest U.S. fighter program ever.
The Defense Department plans to buy 2,400 of the stealthy multi-role fighters; international sales could account for another 2,000 to 3,500 aircraft.
The Netherlands, which has been involved in the JSF program since 1997, is one of eight countries that joined the United States in developing it.
