Swedish company Saab has offered Bulgaria Gripen fighter jets at the price of second-hand US F-16 planes, Novinite reported, quoted by Antena 3. Daniel Boestad, Director of Saab International for Bulgaria, said the offer is favourable for Bulgaria because it saves money without compromising on quality. According to Boestad, the fighter aircraft offered by Gripen have a number of advantages compared to second-hand F-16 planes or the Russian MiG-29 planes that are currently employed by the Bulgarian Air Force such as the lower maintenance cost and smaller land teams needed for servicing them.
The move comes as Saab voiced disappointment over Romania’s decision to purchase 24 second-hand F-16 jets, insisting that the Gripen offer would have been more advantageous for the country. Last month, the country’s Supreme Defence Council decided to accept the Defence Ministry’s proposal to purchase F-16s, but a final decision will be made by Parliament. Both Saab and Eurofighter insisted that their offers were better for Romania and would require smaller expenses. In protest against the decision, the two companies canceled participation in the Black Sea Defence & Aerospace exhibition currently hosted by Bucharest.
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