Bulgaria opts for Swedish Gripen combat jets

[A.P. Richelieu]

http://sofiaglobe.com/2017/04/24/bu...ummary-of-bids-to-supply-new-combat-aircraft/

Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry said on April 24 that it had completed its summary of the proposals to supply the Air Force with new fighter aircraft.

The bids were received from Portugal, the United States, Sweden and Italy.

So far, the ranking of the tenders is not known.

Sweden has offered Bulgaria out-of-the-box new Gripen multi-role fighters. The other offers are for second-hand fighter jets.

The working group, appointed by the prime minister and headed by Air Force commander Major-General Tsanko Stoikov, had finished its work within the prescribed timeframe, fulfilling all the requirements and procedures needed to finalise the process, the Defence Ministry said.

The working group had summarised the proposals received and prepared a report to be submitted to the government for a decision on the continuation of the procedure, the statement said.

The results will be announced after the report is adopted by the cabinet, which will issue a mandate for negotiations.

In order to ensure the necessary transparency and continuity in the field of defence, the caretaker government is ready to provide the results of the work of the interdepartmental group of parliamentary forces in the 44th National Assembly, the statement said.

The investment project to acquire new fighter jets for Bulgaria’s Air Force was approved by the second Boiko Borissov government on April 1 2016.

It provides for an intergovernmental agreement to acquire eight fighter aircraft in the period 2018-2020, the first stage of implementation.

A Nato member since 2004, Bulgaria has committed itself to acquire fighter jets to meet the standards of the alliance. The country continues to have a small fleet of ageing Soviet-made fighter jets, for which currently it is paying large sums for engine overhauls.

Currently, negotiations on the formation of a coalition government, also to be headed by Borissov, are underway. According to participants in the negotiations, expectations are that this government will be presented to Parliament to vote into office in early May 2017.

 

[Hassan Guy]

For the Gripen offer:
What type, how many, total cost, supply of spares/ammo?

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

http://in.reuters.com/article/bulgaria-to-start-talks-with-sweden-to-b-idINL8N1HY3L8

Looking for 8 Gripen C/D at a value of 7,5 BSek.


Bulgaria has decided to start talks with Sweden to acquire eight new Gripen combat jets made by SAAB, interim deputy prime minister Stefan Yanev said on Wednesday.

The Balkan country has picked the Swedish offer ahead of offers to buy secondhand U.S. F-16s from Portugal, equipped with U.S. weaponry, and secondhand Eurofighter Typhoon fighters from Italy.

A deal is estimated to be worth about 1.5 billion levs ($836 million).

A special commission for the negotiations is expected to be set up within a week, Yanev said. The talks with Sweden will be held by Bulgaria's next government, which is expected to take office next week. (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova and Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

 

[flamer84]

Congratulations. It may not seem much (8 fighters) but it will retain capabilities for the BAF while the alternative was disbanding it altogether and have NATO doing the air policing.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

However, the decision is not binding, and the next cabinet will decide how to lead these negotiations through a new working group, which should be formed next week.

Bulgaria eyes new combat aircraft acquisition for a long time. However, even if the decision and the start of the procedure have been delayed for more than 10 years, "The government does not want to stop the acquisition process a new multi-purpose fighter," said Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister Stefan Yanev.

A second phase, which would be launched in 2022-2023, will include the purchase of eight more fighters.

 

[flamer84]

....and........

The new government puts the deal on hold,explores further options....

 

[mike2000 is back]

....and........

The new government puts the deal on hold,explores further options....

LOL bureaucracy?

 

[flamer84]

LOL bureaucracy?

Nope.....Eastern Europe. ...new government, new policies, new kickbacks to negociate...see Romanian 4 new Sigma corvettes almost signed last year but rolled back by new government this year,see Poland-Airbus helicopter deal, etc

 

[JPMM]

There is the option for ex.USAF F16A from AMARC modernised in Portugal to F16AM and full training and weapons package, just like Romania. "Its the easy way" I told you!!!!

Just seat down and enjoy the raid

 

[mike2000 is back]

Nope.....Eastern Europe. ...new government, new policies, new kickbacks to negociate...see Romanian 4 new Sigma corvettes almost signed last year but rolled back by new government this year,see Poland-Airbus helicopter deal, etc

Soviet legacy I guess.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

Bulgaria is interested in buying 8 JAS-39 Gripen fighters - a deal worth 7 Billion SEK (800 M$)
The country is now ready to start talks with SAAB, says Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to SVT News after a meeting with Stefan Löfven (S) in Brussels.
"Either Wednesday or next Wednesday we will decide when to start negotiations," Borissov says.

FYI: They have been quoted Gripen C.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

Bulgarian President Accuses Cabinet of Delaying Defense Deals

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ent-accuses-cabinet-of-delaying-defense-deals

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

Bulgarian parliament to review fighter selection process

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/a...ament-to-review-fighter-selection-pro-440364/

By Alexander Mladenov & Krassimir Grozev in Sofia

Bulgaria’s government has postponed taking a final decision on the selection of a new-generation fighter until later this year, while the nation also considers making significant investments in the maintenance of its RACMiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-25 fleets.

In late June, Bulgaria’s newly elected parliament decided to establish an investigation board to review all aspects of the fighter tender. This followed the announcement by a temporary government in late April that the Saab Gripen C/D was the preferred candidate in country’s new combat aircraft competition.

The Swedish bid, using new-build aircraft, was ranked ahead of proposals with Tranche 1-standard Eurofighter Typhoons from Italy, and used Lockheed Martin F-16s promoted by the USA and Portugal. The combined US/Portuguese offer was disqualified, reportedly after failing to meet several key requirements, including a deferred payments scheme.

Sofia had requested information on an eight-aircraft deal to be completed under a government-to-government agreement, with deliveries to occur by 2020. The deal – which was also to include a small package of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons, a simulator, logistics support and training – has an allocated budget of €767 million ($900 million). The plan calls for another eight of the same type to be purchased between 2022 and 2023.

Bulgaria's new right-wing, nationalist government, which entered office in early May, has criticised the preferred-bidder decision. The parliamentary investigation board is expected to complete its work by the end of September, although this could be extended by up to a further two months.

The government says it will wait for the board’s final report before deciding how to proceed, but prime minister Boyko Borisov has hinted that he would prefer to acquire new-build fighters, due to their longer service lives.

Alexander Mladenov

Meanwhile, defence minister Krasimir Karakachanov has called for the air force's current fighters and strike aircraft to receive funding to maintain their airworthiness. The service operates 15 MiG-29s and 14 Su-25s, but he says that in early August only eight and four, respectively, were in a serviceable condition.

Karakachanov says he has held talks with representatives of RAC MiG about the options for maintaining the MiG-29 fleet.

 

[Blue Marlin]

http://sofiaglobe.com/2017/04/24/bu...ummary-of-bids-to-supply-new-combat-aircraft/

Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry said on April 24 that it had completed its summary of the proposals to supply the Air Force with new fighter aircraft.

The bids were received from Portugal, the United States, Sweden and Italy.

So far, the ranking of the tenders is not known.

Sweden has offered Bulgaria out-of-the-box new Gripen multi-role fighters. The other offers are for second-hand fighter jets.

The working group, appointed by the prime minister and headed by Air Force commander Major-General Tsanko Stoikov, had finished its work within the prescribed timeframe, fulfilling all the requirements and procedures needed to finalise the process, the Defence Ministry said.

The working group had summarised the proposals received and prepared a report to be submitted to the government for a decision on the continuation of the procedure, the statement said.

The results will be announced after the report is adopted by the cabinet, which will issue a mandate for negotiations.

In order to ensure the necessary transparency and continuity in the field of defence, the caretaker government is ready to provide the results of the work of the interdepartmental group of parliamentary forces in the 44th National Assembly, the statement said.

The investment project to acquire new fighter jets for Bulgaria’s Air Force was approved by the second Boiko Borissov government on April 1 2016.

It provides for an intergovernmental agreement to acquire eight fighter aircraft in the period 2018-2020, the first stage of implementation.

A Nato member since 2004, Bulgaria has committed itself to acquire fighter jets to meet the standards of the alliance. The country continues to have a small fleet of ageing Soviet-made fighter jets, for which currently it is paying large sums for engine overhauls.

Currently, negotiations on the formation of a coalition government, also to be headed by Borissov, are underway. According to participants in the negotiations, expectations are that this government will be presented to Parliament to vote into office in early May 2017.

nice, next is Croatia and probably Austria and i think Romania too.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

nice, next is Croatia and probably Austria and i think Romania too.

And Slovakia, but as they say: it is better with a bird in the hand, than ten in the forest