WARSAW — Some Eastern European allies are developing tenders to acquire new fighter jets and helicopters, but the prospects for increased regional defense collaboration remain uncertain.

Procurements are in the pipeline in Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia and the Czech Republic, which primarily are equipped with Soviet-built aircraft.

Increased defense spending by these countries and the conflict in Ukraine have raised hopes that they will intensify their defense collaboration. However, while Some experts say that Russia's Ukraine intervention could spur regional military and industrial cooperation, as indicated by Poland's new initiative to set up a regional defense fund to bolster armament efforts of neighboring countries. But others say regional military cooperation is still lagging behind.

"Regarding the Central European procurement cooperation ... I think that the war has not changed much," said Tomas Weiss, an associate research fellow at the Prague-based EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy. "There are long-lasting problems with issues such as a synchronized procurement schedule that hampers more effective cooperation among the V4 countries [Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary], and these are really difficult to overcome in the short term.

"I do think that the representatives of all these countries have finally understood that there is no other way than to spend [on military procurements] together, but it will still take a long time before anything tangible comes out of it," Weiss said. "Aand the war may have made the issue a bit more urgent but will not make the problems disappear suddenly."

The Czech Republic is among those countries with plans for more than one major military aircraft tender. In late 2014, Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky announced plans to acquire new transport aircraft and helicopters. Both tenders are expected to be launched this year. Stropnicky told journalists the aircraft will be purchased from companies based in NATO member states.

The Czech Air Force is to add one or two transport aircraft to the military's four C-295s, and to buy an undisclosed number of new helicopters. The aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of 2018, according to Stropnicky.

The new helos will replace the military's Mil Mi-17s, Mi-171s and Mi-24s. The procurements are part of Prague's plan to overhaul the Czech Republic's armed forces and replace Soviet-designed gear with new weapons and equipment.

In Poland, the Defense Ministry is working on acquiring an undisclosed number of new strike helicopters, to be purchased under the Kruk (Crow) program, with the goal of replacing the military's Soviet-designed Mil Mi-24s. Deliveries are scheduled to be launched in 2019. In addition, the ministry has unveiled plans to buy fifth-generation jets, which experts say could be Lockheed Martin's F-35 joint strike fighters.

These plans are part of a string of acquisitions designed to modernize the Polish Air Force. In April, the Defense Ministry announced it had selected the Caracal EC-725 to replace the Air Force's Mil Mi-8, Mi-14 and Mi-17 helicopters. The aircraft, offered by Airbus Helicopters, edged out Sikorsky's S70i Black Hawk and AgustaWestland's AW-149.

The Polish ministry said the latest developments beyond the country's eastern border in Ukraine are affecting its acquisition policy.

"Taking into consideration the rapidly changing security environment, the Ministry of Defense has taken a decision to accelerate the process of acquiring new strike helicopters under the Kruk program," the ministry said April 21.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria is aiming to launch its much-awaited tender for new fighter jets by the end of June, according to Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev. Following a meeting of the Bulgarian parliament's Defense Committee, Nenchev told local news agency BGNES that the ministry will submit a proposal to the cabinet this month.

The Bulgarian Air Force aims to acquire 16 combat aircraft to replace its Mikoyan MiG-21 fighters, and has shortlisted three offers, according to local media reports: a US bid of F-16s that have been withdrawn from service, the Eurofighter Typhoon, and Swedish company Saab's JAS 39 Gripen.

When Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004, the country's government vowed to replace six of its MiG-21 fighters and buy eight new combat aircraft by 2016.

The Gripen also is a leading contender in Croatia's planned fighter jet procurement, with Lockheed Martin's F-16 being its main rival. In April, following a meeting between Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, the country's government announced an initiative to buy new fighter jets to replace the country's 12 MiG-21s.

Email: jadamowsi@defensenews.com

Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.

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