Paul Lewis / Washington DC
USA's move prompted by recent successes by Gripen in Eastern Europe as Poland votes to bring in 48 new fighters
The US Government has made Austria an offer on 30 used Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs with mid-life upgrade (MLU) kits as a cheaper alternative to new fighters.
The move is clearly aimed at stopping Saab/BAE Systems Gripen winning the deal after its recent eastern European successes.
Austria is expected to release a best-and-final request for proposals (RFP) in the next few weeks with the goal of making a selection by the end of May. This follows Gripen wins over the F-16 in the Czech Republic and Hungary and parallels another fighter battle now under way in Poland.
The new US offer includes four F-16A Block 10s for spares cannibalisation, four spare Pratt & Whitney F100-220 engines, eight Northrop Grumman ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pods and either 16 Lockheed Martin Pantera or Northrop Grumman/Rafael Litening II targeting pods.
The 24 single-seat F-16As and six two-seat F-16Bs could be a mix of ex-USAF aircraft and surplus Belgian and Dutch fighters. The aircraft would require the Falcon-up structural modification and the MLU, which includes a new head-up display, colour displays, Northrop Grumman APG-66(V)2 radar and APX-113 interrogator.
"MLU will give you 95% of a Block 50's capability at half the cost," says Lockheed Martin, but it lacks the more powerful F100-229 or General Electric F110-129 engine and further improved APG-68(V)9 radar. The latest offer is worth up to $1 billion if all options are exercised, compared with the earlier $1.74 billion for 30 new F-16s and weapons.
Other proposals to Vienna include Eurofighter Typhoons offered by EADS, which could be new aircraft or come from Germany's initial Eurofighter deliveries, says a German source.
Poland's parliament, meanwhile, has voted to change the air force's fighter acquisition to 48 new fighters, as opposed to a mix of new and old aircraft. This follows Germany's donation of 23 RSK MiG-29 Fulcrums for a nominal €1 ($0.89) fee, meeting immediate needs.
Industry expects an RFP for best and final offers in June, with a decision towards year-end. The Polish government has created a committee to study industrial offset offers. The competition includes the Dassault Mirage 2000-5Mk2 and the types offered to Austria.
Additional reporting Stewart Penney in London
Source: Flight International
