LONDON (Reuters) - The government said on Thursday it would go ahead with buying a third batch of Eurofighter aircraft, dispelling doubts about its commitment to the project.
"I am pleased that we are moving forward with this important programme with our partner nations. This will strengthen Britain's defence capability, and will create new jobs in advanced manufacturing that Britain needs to emerge stronger and fitter from this global downturn," Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement.
The NATO Eurofighter Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) will continue negotiations with industry to get the best possible deal for the partners to the project -- Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain, the British statement said.
(Reporting by Adrian Croft; Editing by Peter Griffiths)