CZECH REPUBLIC/FILE: Czech defence ministry announces the sale of 18 subsonic jets to U.S. company / Jets will be used as training targets for the flight simulation of the U.S. Air Force

Record ID: 860018

  • Title: CZECH REPUBLIC/FILE: Czech defence ministry announces the sale of 18 subsonic jets to U.S. company / Jets will be used as training targets for the flight simulation of the U.S. Air Force
  • Date: 29th November 2013
  • Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (NOVEMBER 29, 2013) (REUTERS) CZECH GOVERNMENT BUILDING DEFENCE MINISTER NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH DEFENCE MINISTER, VLASTIMIL PICEK, SAYING: "The Draken Company came to us with the offer to buy up to 28 of these jets." SCREEN SHOWING CONSERVATED L-159 JETS (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH DEFENCE MINISTER, VLASTIMIL PICEK, SAYING: "This company simulates the air battles with the opponent aircraft during the training of the US army, the marine as well as the ground forces." CAMERAS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) FIRST SECRETARY TO CZECH DEFENCE MINISTER, DANIEL KOSTOVAL SAYING: "The basic price for all the 28 aircrafts is 15,5 milions of Czech Crowns (560,000 euros) per piece." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 14th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Czech Republic
  • City:
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Topics: Business,Conflict,Industry,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA30PPKYKCXDMH0QGWZENK1KSEF
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: The Czech Republic is close to selling up to 28 subsonic fighter jets to a private company in the United States after years of failed attempts to offload the surplus planes, the Defence Ministry said on Friday (November 29).
    The U.S. company, Draken International, has placed a binding bid to buy 14 L-159 planes with an option for 14 more for a total price of up to 516 million crowns ($25.7 million).
    "The Draken Company came to us with the offer to buy up to 28 of these jets," said Czech defence minister Vlastimil Picek at a news conference. "This company simulates the air battles with the opponent aircraft during the training of the US army, the marine as well as the ground forces." 24 of these L-159 jets are ready to fly, another four will be used for the spare parts, the minister said.
    The government should decide about the contract by the end of the year. It could be completed in January 2014, the defence ministry said.
    The Czech Republic has been trying to sell these planes since 2004, as Picek said in the news conference. The government was in talks with many countries, but always without success.
    Picek is part of a caretaker cabinet that is leading the country until a new government can be formed following an early election in October.
    The planes are from the state's stock. The L-159's maker, Czech firm Aero Vodochody, is also involved in talks for a possible contract for repairs and other maintenance, it said in a separate statement.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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