The management of Aerostar Bacau (ARS), the traditional supplierof maintenance and repair services for Romania's fighter planefleet, says the company is ready to supply repair services for F16aircraft. Recently, Romania's Supreme Defence Council has approvedthe acquisition by the Romanian military of 24 second-handmulti-role fighter planes - F16 (manufactured by US-based LockheedMartin) for 1.3 billion dollars (almost one billion euros). Afuture contract will follow, for the purchase of a further 24 newplanes of the same type whose value could exceed one billioneuros.
At present Aerostar provides maintenance services to ageingRomanian fighter jets MIG 21 Lancer, but which will be phased outby 2012.
"Our intention is to continue to supply maintenance services andlogistics for Romania's new multi-role aircraft and ourcapabilities speak in our favour, all the more since the provisionof maintenance services by a local company is a national securitypriority," says Grigore Filip, president and general manager ofAerostar Bacau.
According to him, the company is technically ready to providemaintenance services for F16 fighters that will be supplied to theRomanian military and also provides maintenance services foraircraft fleets of other countries.
Representatives of the Ministry of National Defence did not wish toidentify the potential companies that could handle maintenance ofF16 fighter jets, specifying that these contracts are awarded viatenders.
With 156.8 million RON (37.1 million euros) last year, AerostarBacau is the leading player on the Romanian aeronautics market,worth around 100 million euros.
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