Israel Pretends We Are

The Romanian Defense Ministry stated yesterday that there is no contract signed with any company, Israeli or not, regarding the acquisition of multi-purpose combat planes.
According to the statements of the ministry’s spokesperson, Colonel Cristinel Ghinea, "there is an interest in the renewal of Romania’s combat planes fleet". The quoted sources reminded in this context that Minister Atanasiu himself said the same thing in an interview for Reuters, according to Mediafax.

THE SOURCES. The information regarding the finalization of an agreement between Romania and Israel, with a total value of 150 million US dollars, have been made public by the Israeli press on Sunday. They said the deal was agreed by the United States, and Lockheed Martin makes the planes. The Israeli press added that the US agreed with it easily because Romania is a NATO member, so no hostility will be met. The Ministry of Defense stated that, for now, there is a research going on regarding the multi-purpose planes. "An evaluation of the feasible alternatives for the replacement of the MIG-21 Lancer aircrafts, the resource of which is to finish in 2010-2012, is being carried out". However, a decision regarding the replacement of these planes will be taken at the end of 2006 or in 2007, according to the Ministry of National Defense. The ministry admitted that the Romanian experts are interested in more than one type of planes, but he stated that any details regarding these aircrafts are useless as long as the evaluation is still going on. "It is too early to mention companies or countries that might be in our attention since there is an open competition", Colonel Ghiga stated for us.

ANYWAY. A statement of Associated Press taken over yesterday by the Israeli press said that "Israel negotiates with Romania the selling of several of its F-16 planes made in the US, but they would have to ask for the agreement of the Americans for this deal". The sources Associated Press referred to were officials in the Ministry of Defense. The Agency adds that, according to the same sources, from the intial talks, "Israel would sell F-16a and F-16b planes used by its Air Forces and Elbit Systems, an Israeli company, would modernize these machines". "The sources wanted to remain anonymous because they haven’t been authorized to discuss about the deal with the press", says Associated Press. "The Israeli Ministry of Defense admitted it is trying to sell used planes, but refused commenting on the negotiations. The Elbit Systems representatives refused making any comments", the agency added. They also say the first F-16 was made at the beginning of 1980. (Marina Constantinoiu)

AT LEAST 24 AIRCRAFTS. On the 21st of September, the Minister of Defense was saying in an interview for Reuters that Romania would select new combat aircrafts in the following year in order to renew the old MIG-21 planes in the present fleet. The operation would take place in the modernization process of the army forces, which are part of NATO. Atanasiu said then that Romania needed at least 24 new aircrafts, which might be purchased in any way, even with the use of the leasing system, after some auctions, or by taking part in the F-35 Joint Strike Fight (JSF),the American air forces’ program, which is developed by Lockheed Martin.