Defense Min purchases missiles

The American company Raytheon will deliver medium-range air-to-air missiles for the new Gripen airplanes of the Hungarian Army. After months of negotiations government will adopt the draft of the contract today. The company's AMRAAM missiles were not chosen on a procurement tender because the Gripens were designed to be used with such missiles. If the contract is signed, the Defense Ministry will pay Ft 0.5 billion to Raytheon this year and Ft 2.2 billion in 2005. Raytheon agreed to start an offset program in Hungary. The complete arming of the Gripens will cost a total of Ft 27.3 billion up to 2011. Air-to-ground and short-range air-to-air missiles will be chosen on public procurement tender, to be published in January. (Vg13) G.R.