Swedish Air Force could scrap 70 planes
Published: 26th April 2006 11:14 CET
Up to 70 JAS fighter planes could be scrapped if they are not able
to be sold, according to a proposal submitted to the Swedish
Ministry of Defence by the leader of the Swedish armed
forces.
The proposal, from Supreme Commander Håkan Syrén, is attached to
the 2007 military budget. He suggests that there should be around
100 operation JAS (Jakt/Attack/Spaning -
Fighter/Attack/Reconnaissance) fighter planes in the Swedish Air
Force.
This leaves 65-70 planes too many. If these planes, which have cost
taxpayers around 20 billion kronor, cannot be sold, the proposal
suggests they should be discarded.
But according to General Lieutenant Mats Nilsson, a slimming of the
fleet is necessary, despite the cost.
"We need to have a proper number to be able to operate the system
in the long-term from the type of organization which parliament and
the government have determined," Nilsson said.
The entire JAS fighter plane program has cost Swedish taxpayers
around 100 billion kronor.
A total of 204 JAS series fighter planes have been produced, both
for Swedish military use and for export.
Of these, only 28 planes have been exported so far. 14 have been
sold to Hungary and 14 to the Czech Republic.
http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3654&date=20060426
