AFP) – 1 day ago GENEVA — Switzerland has agreed details of its planned purchase of 22
fighter jets from Sweden, despite a critical parliamentary report on the
deal, the defence ministries of the two countries said Saturday. A Swiss government statement said an agreement in principle had
been concluded between its weapons procurement agency armasuisse
and Sweden's FXM agency on the acquisition of the Saab Gripen
warplanes. Final details of specifications, delivery dates, prices, equipment and
infrastructure had been settled pending a final green light from Bern, it
said. The deal forms part of a larger order for Gripens to be shared with
Sweden, which Stockholm said Saturday would help to keep costs
down. The Swiss parliamentary security commission said on Tuesday that the
"choice of jet made by the Federal Council carries the most risks:
technically, commercially, financially and in respect of the delivery
date", Swiss news agency ATS reported. The members of the commission nonetheless voted 16 to 9 against
demanding that ministers put a halt to the deal. Defence Minister Ueli Maurer said that the Gripen "was the cheapest"
option compared with the French Dassault Rafale and the EADS
Eurofighter and its purchase price -- 3.126 billion francs (2.6 million
euros, $3.25 billion) -- was guaranteed not to change. Opponents of the Gripen purchase, which still has to be approved by
the federal parliament, have said that they would seek to hold a
national referendum on the deal. The Gripens, to replace the Swiss air force's ageing US-built F-5 Tigers,
are of a more advanced model still under development and will not be
available before 2018, according to Bern. For its part the Swedish government plans to buy 40-60 new Gripens
over the next decade at a cost of two billion kronor (242 million euros)
http://www.defence.pk/forums/europe-...-jas-39-a.html
fighter jets from Sweden, despite a critical parliamentary report on the
deal, the defence ministries of the two countries said Saturday. A Swiss government statement said an agreement in principle had
been concluded between its weapons procurement agency armasuisse
and Sweden's FXM agency on the acquisition of the Saab Gripen
warplanes. Final details of specifications, delivery dates, prices, equipment and
infrastructure had been settled pending a final green light from Bern, it
said. The deal forms part of a larger order for Gripens to be shared with
Sweden, which Stockholm said Saturday would help to keep costs
down. The Swiss parliamentary security commission said on Tuesday that the
"choice of jet made by the Federal Council carries the most risks:
technically, commercially, financially and in respect of the delivery
date", Swiss news agency ATS reported. The members of the commission nonetheless voted 16 to 9 against
demanding that ministers put a halt to the deal. Defence Minister Ueli Maurer said that the Gripen "was the cheapest"
option compared with the French Dassault Rafale and the EADS
Eurofighter and its purchase price -- 3.126 billion francs (2.6 million
euros, $3.25 billion) -- was guaranteed not to change. Opponents of the Gripen purchase, which still has to be approved by
the federal parliament, have said that they would seek to hold a
national referendum on the deal. The Gripens, to replace the Swiss air force's ageing US-built F-5 Tigers,
are of a more advanced model still under development and will not be
available before 2018, according to Bern. For its part the Swedish government plans to buy 40-60 new Gripens
over the next decade at a cost of two billion kronor (242 million euros)
http://www.defence.pk/forums/europe-...-jas-39-a.html
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