Guvernul american a notificat MApN cu privire la faptul ca Congresul a aprobat vanzarea celor 32 de aparate F 35A pe care Romania le-a solicitat in Faza I de dotare cu F 35A a Fortelor Aeriene Romane. In sine, aprobarea n-a surprins pe nimeni, totul era deja negociat, ce surprinde este pretul – aparent foarte mare si lista de cumparaturi de pe langa F 35A, o lista foarte scurta.
Mai intai sa ne reamintim ce a solicitat Romania sa achizitioneze din Statele Unite:
“WASHINGTON, September 13, 2024 – The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Romania of F-35 Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $7.2 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
The Government of Romania has requested to buy thirty-two (32) F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft; and thirty-three (33) Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines (32 installed, 1 spare). The following non-MDE items will also be included: AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders (SKL); Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment, secure communications, precision navigation, and cryptographic equipment; Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD); multi-purpose missile equipment; ammunition and weapons components; aircraft and munitions support and support equipment; integration and test support and equipment; spare and repair parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; training aids and devices, and spare parts; major and minor modifications, maintenance, and maintenance support; integrated computer system; electronic warfare data and Reprogramming Lab support; Electronic Combat International Security Assistance Program (ECISAP) software support; aircraft engine Component Improvement Program (CIP) support; classified and unclassified software and software development, delivery, and integration support; classified and unclassified publications and technical documentation; classified and unclassified personnel training, and training gear and equipment; transportation, ferry, and refueling support; facilities and construction support; studies and surveys; Contractor Logistics Support (CLS); U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $7.2 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe.
The proposed sale will improve Romania’s capability to meet current and future threats by further equipping it to conduct self-defense and regional security missions while enhancing interoperability with the United States and other NATO members. Romania will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.
The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, located in Fort Worth, TX. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Romania.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded.”
Cateva consideratii ar fi totusi de facut:
- Pretul final pare a fi 6,5 miliarde de dolari, ceea ce este cam mult daca ne uitam la suma platita de cehi pentru 24 de avioane– 4,57 miliarde de dolari (inclusiv armament), Polonia – 32 de aparate pentru 4,6 miliarde de dolari sau Finlanda – 64 de bucati pentru 9,4 miliarde de dolari (inclusiv armament). De notat ca toate aceste contracte se refera la avioane F 35A Block 4. Doar ca Block 4 inca nu este dispsonibil asa ca avioanele vor veni in configuratie Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) si Block 4 daca acesta va fi operational pana la definitivarea livrarilor, urmand ca mai apoi aparatele sa fie modernizate la standardul B4;
- Avioanele par a fi singure pe lista. Nu apar rachete aer-aer sau armament aer-sol ci doar avioanele. In cazul cehilor, avem pe langa avioane si o cantitate de armament. Este adevarat ca Romania are alte contracte in derulare pentru rachete aer-aer: AIM-9X II Sidewinder (pana la 300 de rachete) si AIM-120 C8 AMRAAM (pana la 186 de rachete), dar cele 6,5 miliarde de dolari par a se referi doar la avioane, ceea ce este cam mult.
Dar revenim la pret vis-à-vis de lista de cumparaturi si facem o comparatie cu alti clienti.
Cehia, cu citire de la DSCA (iunie 2023): “(24) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) Aircraft; twenty-five (25) Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 Engines (24 installed, 1 spare); seventy (70) AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM); three (3) AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM Guidance Sections; eighty-six (86) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs – Increment II (SDB-II) StormBreaker All-Up-Rounds (AUR); two (2) GBU-53 SDB-II Guided Test Vehicles (GTV); three (3) GBU-53 SDB-II Captive Carry Reliability Trainers (CCRT); twelve (12) Mk-84 General Purpose 2,000-lb Bombs or BLU-109 2,000-lb Penetrator Bombs for the GBU-31; twelve (12) KMU-556/KMU-557 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Tail Kits for the GBU-31; fifty (50) AIM-9X Block II/II+ Tactical Sidewinder Missiles; ten (10) AIM-9X Block II Tactical Sidewinder Guidance Units; eighteen (18) AIM-9X Block II Tactical Sidewinder Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); and four (4) AIM-9X Block II CATM Guidance Units. Also included are AIM-120 AMRAAM CATMs, control section spares, and containers; AIM-9 multi-purpose/dummy air training missiles and containers; DSU-41B Active Optical Target Detectors; Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) trainer tail kits; FMU-139 Joint Programmable Fuzes;” – pret final 4,57 miliarde de dolari – grosier vorbind 190 milioane de dolari per avion, cu munitia de mai sus inclusa.
ALE-70 Radio Frequency Countermeasures (RFCM) Transmitters – noi nu avem asa ceva
Polonia (septembrie 2019) – “(32) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) Aircraft and thirty-three (33) Pratt & Whitney F-135 Engines. Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computer, and Intelligence/Communications, Navigational, and Identification (C4I/CNI); Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS); Full Mission Trainer; Weapons Employment Capability, and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming center; F-35 Performance Based Logistics;”
Nimic din ceea ce este subliniat nu pare pe lista noastra. Nici polonezii nu au cumparat armament odata cu avioanele, pretul lor a fost de 4,6 miliarde de dolari, grosier un pret per bucata de 144 milioane de dolari. Varsovia a optat, si se pare ca si Bucurestiul, pentru achizitionarea sistemelor de armament separat si in transe.
Finlanda – (octombrie 2020) – “(64) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter CTOL aircraft; sixty-six (66) Pratt & Whitney F-135 engines (64 installed and 2 spares); five hundred (500) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) All-Up Round (AUR); twelve (12) GBU-53/B SDB II Guided Test Vehicles (GTV); twelve (12) GBU-53/B SDB II Captive Carry Vehicles (CCV); one hundred fifty (150) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Tactical Missiles; thirty-two (32) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs); thirty (30) AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Sidewinder Tactical Guidance Units; eight (8) AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder CATM Guidance Units; one hundred (100) AGM-154C-1 Joint Stand Off Weapon (JSOW-C1) Tactical Missiles; two hundred (200) Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) AGM-158B-2 Missiles; two (2) AGM-158B-2 JASSM-ER Separation Test Vehicles; two (2) AGM-158B-2 JASSM-ER Instrumented Test Vehicles; two (2) AGM-158B-2 JASSM-ER Jettison Test Vehicles; two (2) AGM-158B-2 Inert JASSM w/Intelligent Telemetry Instrumentation Kits; two (2) AGM-158 Dummy Air Training Missiles; one hundred twenty (120) KMU-556 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-31; three hundred (300) FMU-139D/B Fuzes; two (2) KMU-556(D-2)/B Trainer JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-31; thirty (30) KMU-557 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-31; one hundred fifty (150) KMU-572 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-38/54; one hundred twenty (120) BLU-117, General Purpose Bombs; thirty-two (32) BLU-109, General Purpose Bomb; one hundred fifty (150) BLU-111, General Purpose Bomb; six (6) MK-82, Inert Bomb; one (1) FMU-139D/B (D-1) Inert Fuze. Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence/Communications, Navigational, and Identification (C4I/CNI); Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Operational Data Integrated Network (ODIN); Air System Training Devices; Weapons Employment Capability and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; F-35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming center access; F-35 Performance Based Logistics;
Ce apare subliniat cu negru sunt achizitii de diferite sisteme, in afara de arme, care nu apar si la noi pe lista. Pret total la finlandezi – 9,4 miliarde de dolari, la un calcul cu totul neserios dar suficient de relevant avem – 147 milioane de dolari per avion.
Elvetia – (septembrie 2020) – “(40) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft; forty-six (46) Pratt & Whitney F-135 engines; forty (40) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II+ (Plus) Tactical Missiles; fifty (50) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs); six (6) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Special Air Training Missiles (NATMS); four (4) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II Tactical Guidance Units; ten (10) Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II CATM Guidance Units; eighteen (18) KMU-572 JDAM Guidance Kits for GBU-54; twelve (12) Bomb MK-82 500LB, General Purpose; twelve (12) Bomb MK-82, Inert; twelve (12) GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) All-Up Round (AUR); and eight (8) GBU-53/B SDB II Guided Test Vehicle (GTV). Also included are Electronic Warfare Systems; Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence/Communications, Navigational, and Identification (C4I/CNI); Autonomic Logistics Global Support System (ALGS); Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS); Full Mission Trainer; Weapons Employment Capability and other Subsystems, Features, and Capabilities; F‑35 unique infrared flares; reprogramming center access; F-35 Performance Based Logistics; software development/integration; flight test instrumentation; aircraft ferry and tanker support; Detector Laser DSU-38A/B, Detector Laser DSU-38A(D-2)/B, FMU-139D/B Fuze, KMU-572(D-2)/B Trainer (JDAM), 40 inch Wing Release Lanyard; GBU-53/B SDB II Weapon Load Crew Trainers (WLCT); Cartridge, 25 mm PGU-23/U; weapons containers; aircraft and munitions support and test equipment; communications equipment;”
Pretul platit de elvetieni este de 6,25 miliarde de dolari pentru 36 de aparate, adica un cost per aparat de 174 de milioane de dolari.
Romania ar trebui sa plateasca 6,5 miliarde de dolari pentru 32 de F 35A fara dotari suplimentare adica un cost per aparat de 203 milioane de dolari. Nu va bazati pe inflatie si faceti singuri socotelile, luand in calcul faptul ca cehii platesc 183 de miliaone de dolari, dar ati vazut ca ei beneficiaza si de armament, plus diferite sisteme care nou ne lipsesc.
Acum, F 35A asa cum vine el din fabrica, fara prea multe optiuni este un avion deosebit de puternic cu un radar exceptional, un sistem inclus de razboi electronic foarte puternic si o invizibilitate radar fara egal. Este un avion proiectat nu pentru lupta la vedere (nici un avion modern nu este proiectat pentru asa ceva) ci pentru a detecta orice potential inamic inainte ca acesta sa vada F 35ul.
Este conceput sa atace fara sa fie vazut, sa penetreze apararea anti-aeriana cu baza la sol fara sa fie observat, sa distruga tintele inamice la sol si in aer fara ca acestea sa fie constiente de existenta avionului in zona lor de operatii. Iar radarul si avionica de la bord ii permit sa faca multe alte chestii foarte interesante. In mod clar, F 35A trebuie achizitionat de Romania si orice paralela cu oricare alt avion de generatia a 4-a nu-si gaseste aici rostul, diferenta intre capabilitatile actuale si viitoare al F 35 si restul plutonului generatiei a 4-a este in favoarea “35-ului iar ecartul va creste.
Singura mea nedumerire este pretul care pare a fi cel mai mare de pana acum pentru varianta “A”, mai ales in conditiile in care, repet, lista noastra de cumparaturi nu contine arme, munitii sau sisteme complementare asa cum vedem in listele aprobate pentru Cehia, Finlanda sau Elvetia.
Si cred eu ca ar trebui sa primim ceva explicatii.
Pe de alta parte, daca facem o paralela cu Polonia, Varsovia a semnat pentru 32 de aparate in 2019, primul avion iesit din uzina in 2024, primele avioane sosite in tara in 2026 si operationale abia din 2030. Asadar daca la noi primul avion va fi livrat in 2031 – desi existau zvonuri ca vor fi mai devreme – inseamna ca vom avea primele F35A operationale cam prin 2036.
Astfel incat F 16 MLU va avea o viata lunga in fata si speram ca cat mai curand avioanele sa fie trecute la modernizarea promisa de MApN, in configuratia M6.6, ceea ce nu este mult, dar conteaza mai ales ca vom avea de tras de ele inca 12-15 ani, poate peste.
Recapituland, Romania trebuie sa faca un sacrificiu financiar foarte mare si sa cumpere F 35A, toate cele 48 programate, nimic de discutat sau de argumentat aici, alta solutie sau oferta nu exista, mai ales in contextul agresivitatii ciumei rusesti. Problema mea este pretul pare foarte mare mai ales in oglinda cu faptul ca nu cumparam arme sau sisteme electronice mai complexe care apar pe listele altora si atunci de unde diferenta?!
In acelasi timp nici nu cred ca americanii ne-au gasit tocmai pe noi sa-si faca planul la crescut pretul. Sunt absolut convins ca suma este una rezultata in urma unui calcul serios si decent, doar ca eu nu-l inteleg si tare as aprecia daca cineva din MApN ne-ar explica cat de cat ce si cum.
GeorgeGMT