The final decision on the selection of multi-purpose combat aircraft should be made soon.
With the completion of the validation phase and evaluation of bids, a feasibility study for the procurement of multi-purpose combat aircraft has been made at the state level, and the public will be informed about the recommendations at the end of the process, announced Croatia’s Ministry of Defence on Friday, reports Večernji List on December 1, 2017.
Steps in the decision-making process will include the opinion of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and of the Council of Defence, which consists of the President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Finance Minister, the Chief of General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, and others.
The final step in the process will be the decision on acquisition which will be adopted by the government, announced the Defence Ministry.
Croatia is facing one of the most important and most complex decisions in the defence field after the end of the Homeland War – how to maintain the capability to oversee and protect its airspace, said the statement.
It pointed out that the air force was decisive in the Homeland War and added that investing in combat aircraft means investing in the security of Croatia, which is a prerequisite for the stability of the state and future economic development.
The decision to launch the process of procurement of a new generation of combat aircraft is a process which has been delayed for fifteen years, and concrete steps were undertaken earlier this year with the drafting of a tactical-technical study and with the issuing of a call for bids for the procurement of the combat aircraft, the statement said.
By 3 October, bids were received from Greece, Israel, Sweden and the United States. The bidders are states with a strong defence, technological and industrial base, which provides the possibility for technical and industrial development of Croatia, the growth of employment and investments in the Croatian economy. That will include highly developed technological solutions, the transfer of knowledge and experiences, which will open up the potential for the development of industrial sectors directly linked to the procurement of aircraft, the statement alleged.
The final decision on the selection of the combat aircraft is expected in the new few months.
