THE CZECH DEFENCE ministry has frozen the upgrading of three Mikoyan MiG-21 Fishbed prototypes, and has established a joint team with US Government specialists to study the acquisition of Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs.
The decision was announced, at the end of September by Czech Defence Minister Vilem Holan, following the visit of US defence secretary, William Perry.
Holan says that the upgrade programme would be halted immediately and a joint team would begin studying ways to allow the Czechs to obtain used F-16s.
As recently as mid-September, the MiG-21 programme was being touted by the Czech defence ministry as the only realistic option for modernising the air force's fighter fleet (Flight International, 27 September-3 October).
The modernisation programme called for the upgrade of three MiG-21 prototypes, with the programme, if successful, eventually being expanded to include 24 aircraft.
Several schemes are being examined which would enable the Czechs to obtain the F-16s, including a lease option.
The USA has already provided the Czechs with pricing and availability information on the F-16s, with similar data expected to be made available on the McDonnell Douglas F-18. The Czechs have not ruled out the possibility of at least evaluating other Western aircraft.
Source: Flight International
