Defence unions have attacked ministry plans to cut spending, despite assurances there will be no compulsory redundancies. ‘The minister has totally lost his way,’ an FNV spokesman told today’s Volkskrant.

The minister plans to axe the number of F-16 jets and tanks, both of which are used intensively
in Afghanistan, the spokesman pointed out.
Unions say 1,000 jobs are under threat from the cuts which will increase the pressure on other defence ministry personnel.
As leaked in mid-May, defence minister Eimert van Middelkoop has decided to scrap an order for Tomahawk missiles and unmanned spy planes. The cuts also involve the sale of 18 F-16 fighter jets and 40 Leopard and Houwitser tanks.