Free Republic

<p>PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Defense Ministry has signed a deal to deliver 14 military airplanes to the United States in an $11 million deal.</p>

Any air arm able to field 30 operational MiG-21s, 11 Douglas A-4K Skyhawks and which ordered up to 28 light combat jets would be placed well up the rankings in Flight International’s annual World Air Forces directory. It may come as a surprise, therefore, to learn that the aircraft listed above belong to a commercial company. Welcome to Draken International, the world’s largest private air force. Lakeland, Florida-based Draken formed in 2011, and has grown rapidly since then. Currently the company undertakes a range of training activities for the US military, but is also actively looking at opening a European...

Nov 29 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic is close to selling up to 28 subsonic fighter jets to a private company in the United States after years of failed attempts to offload the surplus planes, the Defence Ministry said on Friday. The U.S. company, Draken International, has placed a binding bid to buy 14 L-159 planes with an option for 14 more for a total price of up to 516 million crowns ($25.7 million). The government should decide about the contract by the end of the year. It could be completed in January 2014, the defence ministry said. "The Czech...