AMSTERDAM (REUTERS) - The Netherlands will purchase 37 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, a decision that should end years of political wrangling over ballooning costs and delays.

Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert was due to announce the decision in a policy paper setting out her long-term vision for the Dutch armed forces, the sources said.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 is designed to be the next-generation fighter for decades to come for United States forces and their allies. The F-35 programme, hit by technical faults, is several years behind schedule and 70 per cent above cost estimates.