Four nations placed their orders Friday for another shipment of Eurofighter jets, amid fears at defence factories that the 112 planes would be the last ordered, according to dpa. Britain, Italy, Spain and Germany have dragged their feet over the latest round of orders for the controversial plane, which has been derided as outdated and overpriced. The project began in 1988 and the planes, also known as Typhoons, entered service in 2003. The German Defence Ministry in Berlin said the contract signed Friday for the 112 planes was worth 9 billion euros (13 billion dollars). Instead of ordering the whole of this third and last tranche, the nations have ordered only part and put off an order for an additional 61 jets until later. The consortium of companies building the jets signed that contract - for 112 jets and 241 engines - on Friday.
