International projects always cost more and take longer than an in house project. They are also, however, far more difficult to cancel, which is why we went for them in a big way after the mass cancellations of the late 60s.
The downside is that even when it might be sensible to cut orders, it's either impossible, difficult and/or too expensive to do so.
In the case of the Typhoon there would seem to be a move to cancel Tranche 3 with varied excuses being used as a smokescreen. There would seem to be no possibility of any reduction in Tranche 1 or 2 and the penalty clauses in doing so unilaterally would eliminate any savings.
We also already seem to be buying more than enough F-35s.....