Czech's officially express interest in new fighters for 2004

Published: 5/21/1999

According to reports from Reuters, the Czech government has sent letters to five western countries, expressing interest in purchasing fighter aircraft. Mr Milan Repka, government spokesman, said that the letters were sent by the Czech Defence Ministry to the governments of the USA, UK, France, Sweden and Germany. Mr Repka declined to give the exact number of fighters that the Czech Republic intended to buy, but widely discussed plans have recommended the purchase of some 24 to 36 planes, in order to replace the ageing fleet of MiG 21MFs and Su-22M-4s. He added that the government expected preliminary offers by September 1999, following which the cabinet would evaluate the bids and fine-tune its demands, before opening a tender. The contenders for the contract are the usual combination of participants from the USA and Europe, although local speculation favours the Anglo/Swedish Gripen offering over the surplus F-18/F-16 solution and the Mirage from Dassault. The Czech Republic has planned to acquire western aircraft for some time. Lack of funds and attractive debt/spare part deals with Russia however have delayed the purchase, as have the rather half-hearted attempts to co-ordinate the purchasing of the new Central European NATO members: all of whom are in the market for fighters. Mr Repka stated that the government had requested a deal which would include off-set programmes, by which aircraft makers would provide contracts for the production of components and other goods to Czech companies, totalling at least the value of the fighters. According to the Defence Ministry, the government would like to have the fighters in operation by 2004, so replacing the existing fighter force, much of which will have to be withdrawn from service by 2005. The Czech news agency, CTK, reported that an internal Finance Ministry analysis showed that 36 new jets would cost 31 to 44 billion crowns ($1.24 billion), and the total package, including logistics and ammunition, would cost 44 to 57 billion crowns ($2.7 - $3.5 billion).

Article ID: 529