Czechs to deliver military planes to US

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Republic's government has approved a deal to deliver military airplanes to the United States.

Defense Minister Vlastimil Picek says Draken International Inc., a U.S. company that cooperates with the U.S. army, will buy up to 28 subsonic L-159 military planes in a deal worth up to $25.8 million.

[link to www.nwcn.com]
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Radio Prague: Czech government approves deal to offload excess fighter jets

One of the longest running military sagas was successfully concluded today with a deal to sell surplus Czech fighter aircraft to a leading US company. As Chris Johnstone reports, the estimated half billion crown sale is good news for the aircrafts' owner, the Czech Army, and its local manufacturer.

L-159, photo: archive of Czech ArmyL-159, photo: archive of Czech Army For much of the last decade the Czech army has been touting its excess L-159 fighter and trainer aircraft for sale to foreign armies or companies. During that time the planes have been wrapped in protective covers in hangers and accumulating ever growing storage costs met by the Ministry of Defense.

Previous sale deals for L-159's have been fuelled in the past only to crash at the last minute. Throughout most of last year, the Czech government invested a lot of time and effort in a bid to sell the planes to Iraq, only for the deal for mostly new planes from Aero and a couple from the army to collapse in December.

Final agreement to sell up to 28 of the fighter aircraft to Florida-based Draken International Inc. transforms the cash drain into a one off windfall for the ministry. The agreement should be sealed this month. But the consequences could be even more important for the producer of the jet aircraft, leading Czech civil and military plane maker Aero Vodochody.
[link to www.radio.cz]

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