L-159. More dangerous to the pilot than the enemy!
Czech jets "more dangerous to pilots than enemy"
PRAGUE, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Brand-new locally built subsonic combat jets worth about $1.2 billion are so unreliable that they are more dangerous to the pilot than the enemy, Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik said on Monday.
The L-159 light fighter planes are made by Aero Vodochody, which is 35 percent owned by a local unit of Boeing, and are intended to help bring the out-of-date Czech air force up to NATO standards.
The government's purchase was aimed at boosting the ailing Aero Vodochody through an export drive, to be led by Boeing.
But repeated delivery delays and malfunctions have cast doubt on the project. Tvrdik said the air force had had to cut down training on L-159s after system failures forced two pilots to make emergency landings in October.
"The operation of these planes shows great unreliability and susceptibility to failure,'' he said at a meeting with the army's top officers, open to reporters. "The plane seems to be more dangerous for its user than for a potential enemy.''
Tvrdik, who took up his post this year amid criticism of military procurement practices, complained that late deliveries meant the air force had so far received only 24 out of the order of 72 jets, but paid over 90 percent of the total sum.
He had previously said the army did not need as many as 72 subsonic jets and would sell some of them.
Some might go to Boeing in an inter-government deal in exchange for used Lockheed Martin supersonic F-16 fighter jets.
Aero has been considered a frontrunner for supplying fighters to Slovakia, which is due to decide on upgrading its obsolete air force in November. Slovakia has been aiming to buy up to 50 subsonics but may opt for supersonics instead.
The Czech government is also due to decide within weeks on a purchase of either 24 or 36 supersonic jets worth up to $2 billion.