The JSF is clearly the best candidate with the best papers for the replacement of the F-16 in due time

Wim Kok, Dutch prime minister

Last week, Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok said the JSF would probably replace the country's fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft.

The announcement ends speculation over whether the Netherlands would invest in two other rival projects - the Eurofighter Typhoon, by a European consortium, and the French Rafael.

The $4.8bn contract to build the JSF - the biggest in US military history - was awarded to US firm Lockheed Martin in October last year after it beat off fierce competition from rival Boeing.

Stealth technology

The fighter plane combines supersonic speed with technology similar to that used in the Stealth bomber, and experts say it is likely to be the last manned fighter aicraft.

Joint Strike Fighter

$31-38m per aircraft 18,000lbs fuel capacity 15,000lbs missile capacity 1,100 km combat range

The JSF will be built in various forms for use on aircraft carriers or land-based airstrips, some versions of which will be able to take off vertically and hover.

Mr Kok said the decision brought the Dutch Government "closer" to buying the advanced fighter for the air force.

"The JSF is clearly the best candidate with the best papers for the replacement of the F-16 in due time," he told a press conference.

Kok says the Netherlands is moving towards buying the new aircraft

The Associated Press news agency said the government had allocated 5.5bn euros ($4.7bn) to renew 137 F-16s by the year 2025.

The US Government wants to replace nearly all fighter jets currently in use with up to 3,000 JSFs over the next 40 years.

A number of other European countries are considering joining the project.

The JSF is not expected to be operational until the year 2010.