PRAGUE (AP) Czech Defense Minister Vlastimil Picek says he will propose extending the contract to lease 14 JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden by at least 12 years.
Wednesday's announcement followed tough negotiations. The Czechs were originally not satisfied with a Swedish offer but finally agreed on a proposal to pay 32 percent less. The exact value of the deal was not disclosed.
The lease of the planes for the Czech air force began in 2005 and is due to expire in 2015.
The Czech government originally agreed to buy 24 military jets made by Sweden's Saab and Britain's BAE Systems in 2002, but canceled that after devastating floods left the country with a staggering cleanup bill.
It later decided to lease 14 of the same jets in a $1 billion deal.
