Let us sum it up. LM is offering 64 F-35's for this budget.
So far so good, but operating costs are separate from purchase costs.
If operating costs are higher than for current Hornets, LM will be disqualified.
To me it seems like LM is trying to fit a square peg into a round hole here.
Conclusion: LM will be disqualified. No F-35 for Finland. This is my conclusion.
Same applies to every other plane. Like said, if every contestant fails to meet the budget, every contestant fails. Everyone goes home.
But why would that happen? Anyone can make a proper deal. So why is LM offering 64 planes? At least one seller is sure to make a deal that fits within the budget, because it is actually in their own interest.
If LM is offering 64 jets, then we can assume they will meet the benchmark pricing for operational costs as well. It's only logical.
LM - 64 F-35As
Boeing - 50 SHs, 14 Growlers
SAAB - 64 Gripen E, 2 GlobalEye AWACS
Dassault, Airbus - Unknown Rafales and Typhoons
It automatically implies Dassault and Airbus have failed to match the requirement of 64 jets.
I feel the winner is obvious. So now I'm hoping at least some information is released.
Another interesting thing here:
HELSINKI (AP) — Finland says it has received final offers from all five manufacturers bidding in a contest to provide new fighter jets to the Nordic country’s military in a 10 billion-euro ($12 billion) deal to replace its aging fleet of F-18 Hornet aircraft. The Finnish Defense Forces said...
apnews.com
“Security and defense policy implications will be assessed separately outside of the actual tendering process,” the Finnish Defense Forces said in a statement.
They are basically saying politics will be kept out.