MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

More Royal Navy frigates for Chile

The strong international price of copper for the second year running has bolstered Chile's coffers and a percentage of that additional income is earmarked for military equipment purchases including several Royal Navy frigates, German Leopard tanks and refurbished F-16 fighters.

Excess income from copper sales abroad represented last year an additional two billion US dollars for the Chilean government and for the military who are legally entitled to a percentage, almost 700 million US dollars in these last two years, although part of it has already been spent in cancelling debts.

President Ricardo Lagos and the commanders of the three services agreed this week that those funds will be used in the coming nine years (until 2014) to keep advancing with the modernization process of the Chilean Armed Forces.

The shopping list includes 20 to 28 refurbished F-16 fighter bombers belonging to the Dutch Air Force (with a twenty year horizon), which would replace the current Mirage fleet and act as support for the brand new ten F-16 already purchased directly from United States. Total cost is in the range of 150 million US dollars.

The Chilean Navy already has defined the purchase of three missile Type 23 frigates from the Royal Navy, an operation involving 250 million US dollars, according to Navy commander Admiral Mighe Vergara who would like to see the contract signed before June 18 when he retires.

Traditionally Britain has been the main supplier for the Chilean Navy.

Finally the Army is planning to incorporate a first batch of 100 Leopard II German made tanks selling at an average cost of 400,000 US dollars each in the European market. The Chilean Army currently has 280 Leopard I tanks.

However no final decision has yet been reached since the Dutch government has offered a full package which includes jet fighters, frigates and tanks.