Poland and Hungary are leaning towards leasing new aircraft to fulfil their requirements for a new fighter, rather than making a straight purchase, which is seen as unaffordable.
US officials from the Department of Defense, Air Force and Navy briefed Polish defence and industry officials in Warsaw at the end of August on leasing or purchasing Lockheed Martin F-16s or Boeing F/A-18s. Sources close to the talks say the Poles seem to favour the lease. "There is no prospect of a purchase on the cards in the short term," says one source.
British Aerospace, which has been marketing the Saab Gripen to Poland, says it has also been approached by the Polish Government with a request for a lease proposal. While there are no Gripens available for lease at the moment, BAe says that it could offer Saab Viggens as an interim solution. Poland could also opt for a MiG-29 upgrade as a short-term solution, as proposed by Germany's Daimler-Benz Aerospace.
BAe maintains that a purchase would be the best solution for Poland because it will provide work for the beleaguered local aero-space industry.
The UK company is also proposing its Hawk to meet the country's jet trainer requirement, and has signed a deal with local manufacturer PZL-Mielec for fuselage component manufacture, with the prospect of full assembly if the air force purchases the Hawk.
Hungary is also increasingly likely to opt for a lease.
Source: Flight International
