site.btaPresident Calls for "Radio Silence" While Experts Examine Offers for New-Type Combat Aircraft

October 15 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev Monday
 called on the Prime Minister, the ministers and the MPs "to
maintain radio silence" while an interdepartmental expert
working group examines the offers for a new type of combat
aircraft for the Bulgarian Air Force.

"Let us show that we are a civilized State and that
transparency, objectivity and a level playing field are not
empty words," the head of State pointed out.

The experts are now considering the four offers received in the
1,800 million leva procedure for the acquisition of eight new
jet fighters: for new F-18s and F-16s from Lockheed Martin of
the US, for new Gripens from Saab of Sweden, and for used
Eurofighters from Italy. Once the expert team completes its
work, another, politico-military commission, will hold
negotiations with the providers. On Friday, the Commander of the
 Air Force, Major General Tsanko Stoikov, said that, judging
from the experience of other countries, the conclusion of a
contract takes five to six months after a provider has been
selected. According to various sources, F-16 is the main
favourite, in close competition with Gripen.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Krassimir
Karakachanov said on Monday that the project is in progress, the
 expert team will do its job, and efforts are being made for the
 politico-military commission to be ready until the end of the
year.

Karakachanov dismissed as "unserious" the idea to lease combat
aircraft. "This is not car rental: you go to the company garage,
 rent a car, get in and drive off," he commented. "We have an
aviation which we must maintain, we need it," he added.

The Defence Minister was apparently reacting to a recent bTV
interview with his predecessor Nikolai Nenchev, who suggested
that Bulgaria should ask the US to lease at least four F-16s for
 on-site training here by US instructors. The rental charge and
the pilots' training should be agreed as a package with the
price of the new F-16s. "In this way, Bulgaria will be less
dependent on its old Russian MiG-29s and above all on Russia for
 their maintenance," Nenchev argued, recalling that a four-year
contract has been concluded with Russia for maintenance of the
Bulgarian MiG-29s that will cost nearly 100 million leva for
2018 alone.

Radev and Karakachanov made their remarks during a wreath-laying
 ceremony in central Sofia on the eve of Bulgarian Aviation and
Air Force Day, October 16. RQ/LG