The protest of European military aircraft giants against thedecision of Romania's Supreme Defence Council (CSAT) to acquireAmerican F16 aircraft is growing more intense, with the Eurofighterconsortium joining Swedish group SAAB at the end of last week,expressing "disappointment" with this decision.
At stake are not only the 1.3 billion dollars (almost 1 billioneuros) that the Romanian Government will set aside to acquire 24second-hand American fighter planes, to replace ageing Russian MIG21. Another contract for the purchase of a further 24 new aircraft,will be signed in the future, which could be worth in excess of onebillion euros, considering that a fighter aircraft costs between 50and 80 million euros on the market.
The European military companies are now putting pressure on theRomanian Parliament, considering that it has to approve the "inprinciple" decision of the Supreme Defence Council. In the SupremeDefence Council decisions are consensual, but the president of thecountry has the last say.
The Eurofighter consortium "regrets that this decision was madewithout an international call for tenders, as is standard procedurein European Union countries."
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