The Slovak military will purchase two Italian tactical transport aircraft C-27J Spartan, according to local media reports.
Defence Minister Martin Glváč announced that the contract on delivery of the two machines will be inked next week, the TASR newswire reported.
The Sme daily wrote that the public still does not know how much the ministry will pay for what it called the most important purchase by the Slovak army.
“It is the aircraft we need and, first of all, it is required by the army,” Glváč said, as quoted by TASR, adding that C-27Js will carry out military tasks and ensure that the Slovak army will not lose its expert capabilities following the scrapping of the An-24s.
Aside from this role, the new aircraft can be used also for domestic or international crisis management, said the minister.
The material was discussed at a closed-door session, with the purchasing price confidential. Glváč assured the public that the price is lower than that seen in the last tender, though he refused to state any figures, TASR reported. The resources for the purchase are allocated from the ministry’s budget.