Procurement: Colombia's defence minister Martha Lucia Ramirezhas confirmed the Colombian air force will not receive eight Dassault Mirage F1EDA/DDA fighters offered by Spain in late February as part of a military assistance package. Ramirez says "the sad mishandling, in Colombia, of this subject led to Spain's retraction of selling us these fighters". Spain's proposed sale of the Mirages at $1 million each met opposition in Colombia, not least from the air force chief-of-staff Gen Hector Fabio Velasco, who argued the aircraft would be too expensive to operate and maintain. Velasco is a staunch supporter of a light strike turboprop-powered aircraft acquisition to meet the air force's need to replace Cessna A-37Bs and Rockwell OV-10A/Ds.
Source: Flight International
