Swedish Defence minister Björn von Sydow is in talks with the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania over a donation of surplus Saab SK60 trainers to a joint Baltic training wing.
The Swedish defence ministry says that the "Baltwing" talks are part of broader negotiations about donations to the Baltics of defence equipment which will become surplus as Sweden cuts back its armed forces. The talks involve handing over 30 aircraft, upgraded with strengthened wings and Williams Rolls-Royce FJ44 turbofans, and providing free Swedish air force training to pilots and mechanics.
The aircraft are capable of carrying external gun pods and rockets, but no weapons are included in the talks at the moment. A decision on how to proceed could come at the end of June, says the ministry.
The Swedish air force is being cut from 16 to 13 squadrons, although the number of SK60s remaining in service is unclear.
Source: Flight International
