Czech jets offered to Canada's Snowbirds

OTTAWA, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The Canadian government says it hasn't made a decision yet on a proposed purchase of jets from the Czech Republic to equip the famed Snowbirds aerobatic team.

A spokesman for Defense Minister Peter MacKay said Tuesday the Czech military had offered to sell Canada nine of its L-159 jets to replace the aging Canadian-built Tutor jets the Snowbirds currently fly.

The Tutors have been in service since the 1970s and are expected to be obsolete as early as next year. The L-159 made its debut only a few years ago.

Some analysts, however, have their doubts a deal will be struck because the L-159s would be the only planes of their kind in the Canadian military and would require specialized logistics, maintenance and training, the Ottawa Citizen reported.