site.btaMaintenance of Newly Purchased Eight F-16 Jet Fighters Expected to be Done in Partnership between Bulgaria Air Force, Avionams Aircraft Repair Plant

August 6 (BTA) - The maintenance of the eight F-16 Block

70 jet fighters Bulgaria is to receive is expected to be done in
 partnership between the Bulgarian Air Force and the Avionams
aircraft repair plant, Lockheed Martin International Business
Development Senior Manager James Robinson said at a news
conference here on Tuesday.

At the news conference Lockheed Martin representatives and
officials of the US Embassy in Sofia presented information and
comments regarding the eight F-16 Block 70 aircraft Bulgaria is
to receive under contracts on the purchase of the fighters and
the provision of related equipment and technical support
totalling 2.1 billion leva. The agreements were ratified by the
Bulgarian Parliament on July 19.

At Tuesday's news conference Robinson said that the maintenance
is part of the package and will depend on where the Bulgarian
air force chooses to put the aircraft. Robinson said that it is
expected that the aircraft will go to the Graf Ignatievo air
base and that the facility of Avionams there will be part of the
 maintenance. The maintenance on the aircraft will be done
together between the Bulgarian air force and Avionams, he said.

"There have been no capabilities cut at all. What you are
getting is the most advanced fourth generation fighter jet in
the world," the Lockheed Martin official said, approached by a
reporter to comment what exactly is Bulgaria getting and how he
will respond to criticism that some of the capabilities of the
aircraft have been cut.

Robinson said also that the next package of aircraft Bulgaria
will buy would be significantly more advantageous and that this
is not going to be a percentage.

"When you buy the aircraft initially there things like support
equipment, spare parts, weapons and training that go in the cost
 of the overall programme. The second aircraft will not have
those additional costs of the programme," he said. RY/ZH
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