A row has blown up between Czech Republic manufacturer Aero Vodochody and part-owner Boeing over the US company's demand that the workforce be halved due to the lack of foreign sales of the L-159 light fighter.
Aero Vodochody has only 11 aircraft left to deliver of the 72 ordered by the Czech air force, with no immediate prospect of further orders. The hope was that the L-159 would achieve exports, with Greece and Israel the main prospects. Sales have not materialised, however, and Boeing wants up to 1,000 redundancies at the Czech manufacturer.
Aero Vodochody president and board of directors chairman Antonín Jakubse insists that at least some workers should stay on in case contracts for the L-159 are concluded in future. Aero spokesman Viktor Kucera, however, declined to reveal how the company planned to fund the salaries of the employees it wanted to keep.
The Czech government has extended a $300 million guarantee to Aero but has decreed that it has until the end of 2004 to achieve international sales.
Source: Flight International