The government’s spending watchdog believes the Netherlands is taking a large financial risk by becoming involved with the development of a new fighter jet to replace the F-16, the Volkskrant reports today.

The audit office report is due to be published on Wednesday. Sources say it will highlight a string of uncertainties such as the timeframe and number of jets being built. The government is investing €800 mln in the US-led JSF project. So far Dutch firms have won contracts worth €575 mln for work on the project – the bulk of which has gone to Stork.