Procurement: April 6, 2003

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Austria is reconsidering it's decision last year to buy 24 Eurofighter Typhoons for $75 million each. Sweden was offering Gripen and the U.S. F-16s at about half the price. At the time the decision to go with the Typhoon was largely political, as a way to cozy up to France, Germany, Britain and Italy, which are partners in building the new fighter. But now Austria is having second thoughts about spending that much money for political reasons. This is particularly true since there are indications that the Typhoon will suffer more cost overruns.