RYZSARD JAXA-MALAKOWSKI / WARSAW
Dassault, Lockheed Martin and Saab/BAE Systems made formal proposals to Poland's fighter competition last week. Poland needs 48 aircraft to be delivered in 2006-08.
Dassault is offering the Mirage 2000-5MK2 with Thales RDY-2 radar; Lockheed Martin the F-16C/D Block 52 powered by the Pratt &Whitney F100-229, with the Northrop Grumman APG-68 (V)9 radar; and Saab/BAE proposes the Gripen C/D.
Poland's evaluation will be split into three, considering the technical proposal, financing package and industrial offset, with a winner announced on 27December and contract signing in the first quarter of next year. The offset package will be signed separately later, however.
Warsaw requires the procurement to cost less than $3.8 billion. Only Saab/BAE has announced a package cost, at €3.15 billion ($3.17 billion), with a low interest rate of 4.5%. Like the other two bidders, it has a 100% government credit guarantee. Saab/ BAE says its aircraft will be $2 billion cheaper to operate over 30 years. The French and US bids are higher, although the French interest terms are better, at 3.4%, with the US rate understood to be at least 5%.
Offset will exceed 100% of the contract value, some direct within the Polish defence and aerospace industries, with the rest indirect.
PZL Mielec would become sole supplier of F-16 fuselage sections, while production of the Alberta Aerospace Phoenix trainer could be done in Poland, with the aircraft used at a US airline training centre to be created by Lockheed Martin. Work for Cirrus Design, New Piper and Textron has been mentioned, and Northrop Grumman would transfer some unmanned-aircraft structures manufacturing.
PZL Swidnik would receive support to certificate and market the W-3 Sokol and SW-4 helicopters in the USA. WZL-2, the military maintenance facility at Bydgoszcz, would be helped to establish civilian overhaul capabilities.
Dassault has 82 offset proposals, 65 for defence and aerospace companies. Mielec would be responsible for final assembly of at least the Polish Mirage 2000s, while Mielec and Swidnik would become exclusive suppliers of Mirage 2000 components. Swidnik would extend its Dassault work, adding more components for Falcon business jets and Rafale intakes. Dassault would also join the Iryda/Iskra 2 programme, offering upgrade and marketing support. Hydraulics specialist Hydral, WZL-2 and the Kalisz and Rzeszow engine factories would also receive work.
The largest offset proposal, worth €8 billion, came from Saab/BAE. It includes Gripen final assembly in Poland, with Mielec and Swidnik being exclusive suppliers of some Gripen structures. WZL-2 would be a regional maintenance centre working with Saab Aerotech Telub, and simulator maker ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries would also benefit.
Source: Flight International
