Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Greek Government Selling Embraer Legacy EMB-135BJ, Keeping Gulfstream

 '484' Hellenic Air Force Embraer 135BJ delivered new July 17 2002   http://www.flickriver.com/photos/axel_j/3568265712/

'678' Hellenic Air Force  Gulfstream V delivered new March 6 2003    http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image45581.html


Athens. Greece on Monday said it was selling one of its three state jets and making the other two available to the national airforce in order to cut defence costs, amid efforts to balance the state budget.

"A 13-seat Embraer airplane will be sold and the proceeds will be used to cover other armed forces needs," the government said in a statement. A second Brazilian-made Embraer will be handed over to the airforce for training purposes and to carry out medical airlifts, the statement said.

The government said it was keeping the third jet, a US-made Gulfstream, for state trips but said this plane too would also be occasionally available to the airforce "in order to avoid wearing out army transport planes". The announcement gave no further detail on the aircraft.

The plane for sale is an EMB-135BJ Legacy, described on the airforce's website as a 15-seater.It was acquired by Greece as an offset for the purchase of Embraer-made flying radars over a decade ago.

Greece is under pressure from the EU and the International Monetary Fund to cut state spending in return for billions of euros (dollars) in loans that are keeping its economy alive.Part of the savings is to come from the defence budget, and the government has also pledged to raise 19 billion euros ($23.8 billion) from the sale of state assets.

Source:   http://thecitizen.co.tz


  ATHENS, Greece Greece's prime minister has decided to get rid of two of the government's three jets as part of the debt-crippled country's cost-cutting efforts. 

 A government statement says Antonis Samaras has instructed officials to hand over the biggest of the planes to the air force, which will use it for pilot training and as a medical transport.

A second Embraer jet will be sold, and the proceeds given to the armed forces - whose budgets have been cut over the past two and a half years of austerity.

Monday's statement says the government will keep the third aircraft, but make it available to the air force when it's not used for state missions.

Greece is being kept solvent by billions in international bailout loans, granted in exchange for stringent spending cuts.


Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com

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