Defense minster puts final touches for tenders on jets and armored vehicles
Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski has revealed that he is about to finaliz
e a $3.5 billion tender for a multi-purpose jet for the air force. The talks
with the makers of aircrafts - French Mirage 2000, Swedish-British JAS-38 gr
ippen and American F-16 - should be completed by June 8. Ministry officials
will then be able to specify the requirements and the competitors will prese
nt their final bids. "We can be sure that the producer will be known by the
end of the year," said Szmajdzinski. The results of another tender for 1,000
armored personnel carriers (APCs) worth up to zl. 8 million each, will be re
vealed even sooner. Three competing models - Austrian Styer, Finnish Patria
and an APC made by General Motors were presented yesterday. A decision will
be made after they have been put through trials on military testing grounds.
The first vehicles will be supplied to the army in 2004. (Zycie, p. 6) M.K.
