Slovakia signs deal to buy 14 F-16's at a cost of $1.589 billion

[Kailash Kumar]

Slovakia signs deal to replace Russian-made fighter jets with U.S. planes

NOVEMBER 30, 2018

BRATISLAVA, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Slovakia’s defence ministry signed a deal on Friday to buy 14 U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to replace its ageing Russian-made MiG-29s, its defence ministry said.

Slovakia’s government picked the new F-16s made by Lockheed Martin over cheaper Swedish Gripen jets produced by Saab in July.

But relations in the three-party governing coalition have since become more tense and Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini of centre-left Smer party said the deal, overseen by a junior coalition centre-right nationalist party, will only become valid after approval by the finance ministry.

The defence ministry gave no details of the deal. Pellegrini said in July the country will pay 1.589 billion euros ($1.80 billion) for 14 fighter jets, pilot training, ammunition and two-year logistical support.

NATO member Slovakia plans to spend about 6.5 billion euros ($7.6 billion) by 2030 to modernise its military and wants to reduce its reliance on Russian equipment but it has a maintenance contract with Russia for 12 MiG-29s until autumn 2019.

The contract will likely have to be prolonged as Slovakia will not receive all 14 new jets before 2023.

Among central European neighbours, Hungary and the Czech Republic operate Gripens. Poland flies a large fleet of 48 F-16s while also keeping around 30 MiG 29s.

Slovakia’s defence spending is due to rise from 1.2 percent of gross domestic product this year to 1.6 percent in 2020 and 2.0 percent by 2024. ($1 = 0.8839 euros)

https://uk.reuters.com/article/slov...r-jets-with-u-s-planes-idUKL8N1Y55QZ?rpc=401&

 

[Kailash Kumar]

Slovak government clashes over largest-ever arms purchase

30 November 2018

The Slovakian defence ministery announced it had concluded three agreements to buy 14 Lockheed Martin-made warplanes plus arms and training, but the Prime Minister said the contracts had not been approved by the finance ministry

BRATISLAVA (AFP) -

Slovakia's prime minister clashed with the defence ministry on Friday over a deal to acquire US-made F-16 war planes in what is slated as the NATO member's biggest military purchase.

The defence ministry announced Friday that it had concluded three agreements to buy 14 Lockheed Martin-made warplanes plus arms and training valued at 1.58 billion euros ($1.8 billion).

Hours later, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini issued a statement saying that the contracts were invalid because they had not been approved by the finance ministry.

"Premier Pellegrini considers the contracts regarding the purchase of F-16 fighters signed earlier in the day by the defence ministry to be invalid for the moment, as the finance ministry still hasn't approved the deal," a statement said.

The defence ministry is headed by Peter Gajdos from the hard-right Slovak National Party (SNS), a junior coalition partner to Pellegrini's populist left SD-Smer Social Democracy.

Analysts suggested Friday that the clash was likely rooted in an internal power struggle within the coalition.

A former communist NATO and eurozone member of 5.4 million people, Slovakia is seeking to replace its ageing fleet of Soviet-designed, Russian made MiG-29 fighter jets.

The US State Department approved the F-16 deal in April. Pellegrini's government had formally decided in July to go ahead with the purchase.

https://www.france24.com/en/20181130-slovak-government-clashes-over-largest-ever-arms-purchase

 

[Oublious]

Well better then gulfies, they are buyinh for 1 billion 10 choppers.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

Good. Now they can live up to their NATO membership and fight Russia with it.

 

[Kailash Kumar]

Slovakia buys 14 F-16s by Lockheed Martin

01 AUGUST 2019

Lockheed Martin Corp., doing business as Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $799,955,939 firm-fixed-price incentive contract for F-16 aircraft production.

This contract provides for the production and support of 14 Slovak Republic F-16 block 70 aircraft. Work will be performed at Greenville, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2024. This contract award involves 100% foreign military sales to the Slovak Republic.

The F-16 Block 70/72 combines capability upgrades, most notably the advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with a new avionics architecture, and structural upgrades to extend the structural life of the aircraft by more than 50 percent beyond that of previous production F-16 aircraft. F-16 Block 70 software takes advantage of technologies not available when earlier Block F-16s were developed and produced. Operational capabilities are enhanced through an advanced datalink, targeting pod and weapons; precision GPS navigation and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).

http://airrecognition.com/index.php...lovakia-buys-14-f-16s-by-lockheed-martin.html