PRAGUE (AP) The Czech Republic's defense minister says he is close to signing a deal to deliver 28 Czech-made military airplanes to the United States.
Vlastimil Picek says the Draken International Inc. company that cooperates with the U.S. armed forces is seeking to buy up to 28 subsonic L-159 military planes in a deal worth up to $25.8 million.
The light combat and training planes were made in 1999-2003 and the Czech army has been unsuccessfully trying to sell them since 2004 because it has no use for them.
Picek said Friday that the Czech government is expected to approve the sale deal next month while the deal with Draken should be signed in January.
The Czech military says Draken has been already using Czech-made L-39 Albatros trainers.
