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Tender in Slovakia wins C-27J Spartan Alenia

Euro.cz, December 11, 2008

By Rudolf Marek
http://www.euro.cz/id/5nh4zqowfv/detail.jsp?id=11379

Public tender closed the door for middlemen

Italian Alenia Aeronautica with its aircraft C-27J Spartan won the tender of Slovak MoD for the delivery of three to four tactical transport aircraft for Slovak Army. The Czech MoD, without announcing a tender, selected Spanish C-295M, which failed in Slovak tender.

Slovak MoD announced the tender on its web pages and also on the web of EDA on August 5th this year and invited the bidders to submit their offerings until August 21st. The bidders had to be only producers of the aircraft. Following bidders were interested: American Lockheed Martin (C-130J), Alenia and CASA (C-295).

For Alenia the victory in the tender means that it is going to be a supplier of transport aircraft for Slovakia. The negotiations will be held in the next month on how many aircraft Alenia delivers, in what configuration and for what price. By January next year should be signed the contract with the winner of the tender. The contract will also include other details of the deal. Selected aircraft should replace ageing Antonovs in 2010-2011. Their price should be about EUR 120 million (between CZK two and three billion).

Previous tender won Alenia with its C-27J in Morocco. Royal Air Force will pay USD 137 million (CZK 2.8 billion) for four aircraft in various configurations including training and logistics.

Alenia has currently orders for 121 aircraft: 78 for the US, 12 for Italy, 12 for Greece (with option for another three), five for Bulgarian, four for Moroccan and three for Lithuanian air forces. Romania has ordered seven aircraft. Australia, Canada, Slovenia and other countries consider the purchase of Spartan as well.

The result of Slovak tender is also good news for Aero Vodochody that produces center wing boxes for Spartan. Aero took over the production of center wing box from original supplier - Italian Piaggio. Aero is now the only supplier of this component.

“Aero went through various audits for American program JCA and at the moment several center wing boxes are being completed on our assembly line. The first two center wing boxes were delivered to Americans by Piaggio,” said Aero spokeswoman Zuzana Kucerova to Euro.cz.

• Tender in Slovakia wins C27J Spartan (DOCX, 11.78 KB)