The Czech government inked a deal to sell 13 subsonic combat jets to Draken International for CZK 250m, Defence Minister Martin Stropnický said this week. Czech law does not allow the defense ministry to sell its equipment directly, so Aero Vodochody, owned by Penta Investments, will handle the transaction. Draken, a US company that provides tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services, placed a binding bid to buy 14 jets last fall with an option on 14 more.
The Czech government has been trying to offload its surplus military planes for years and is currently in talks to sell another 12 jets to Iraq.
