Eurofighter to go into production

The defence ministers of Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain have signed an agreement for the joint production of the controversial and long-delayed Euro-fighter.

The deal is worth around sixty billion dollars and is expected to secure tens of thousands of jobs in the European aero-space industry.

The first of six hundred and twenty Eurofighters are due in service by the year 2002, After the signing ceremony in Bonn, Britain's defence minister, George Robertson, said it was the right plane for the right price at the right time.

The BBC defence correspondent said the real test for the Eurofighter will come in the battle to sell it abroad against American competition.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service