Douglas Barrie/LONDON
POLAND MAY be given up to 30 Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs, according to a proposal now under consideration by the US Government. The scheme, if approved, would set a precedent for F-16 sales throughout Eastern Europe.
The "no-cost-lease" approach being pushed by Lockheed Martin would allow the company to provide secondhand aircraft from US Air Force stocks for training purposes for up to 18 months.
Poland is seeking to acquire Western combat aircraft to replace its ageing inventory of Soviet-manufactured fighters.
Lockheed Martin and the USAF have proposed the idea to the Air Force Secretary, Sheila Widnall, say US sources.
The no-cost approach is being driven by the need to reduce the initial cost of the F-16.
"It's a no-cost training package," says one source. "It gets around the problem of the initial investment."
While Poland would not have to pay for the training aircraft, it would have to purchase the follow-on F-16s.
If the proposal is cleared by the US Department of Defense, Poland could be briefed on the offer before the end of October. It could receive the first of the ex-USAF F-16s by the end of 1996.
This approach would also form the basis of offers to the Czech Republic and Hungary.
Lockheed Martin faces competition from Russia's Mikoyan, offering the MiG-29, and from Sweden's Saab, which is proposing the JAS39 Gripen.
Mikoyan is suggesting upgrading the Polish air force's MiG-29 Fulcrum As in the short term, while offering the improved MiG-29M in the longer term. The Russian bid is unlikely to succeed, as Poland is keen to build bridges with the West.
Portugal is negotiating with Lockheed Martin over the acquisition of 20 secondhand F-16A/Bs. The Portuguese air force has told the company that a unit cost of around $14.5 million covering a life-extension and avionics upgrade for the aircraft is too expensive.
The Portuguese air force wants the aircraft to be a "giveaway", and hopes to pay for the upgrade programme only.
Source: Flight International
