Chile Buys Weapons from Holland
Chilean Defense Minister Jaime Ravinet arrived at the Dutch port of Del Harven to sign contracts Friday for the purchase of 185 million dollars worth of weaponry in its ambitious plan to refurbish its Armed Forces.

Chile is the main arms buyer in Latin America, partly due to historic conflicts with its neighbors, and spends the largest percentage of its Gross Domestic Product per inhabitant on the military.

Minister Ravinet told El Mercurio daily the new acquisitions include the frigates "Blanco" and "Latorre", out of four for the Chilean Navy, and 18 used F-16 combat jets.

Ravinet said the jets will arrive in Chile by 2007 and add to 10 new F-16s bought from the US last year for over one billion dollars, and military sources said these planes were bought from Holland because they were less expensive.

The purchases are part of a comprehensive program to modernize the Armed Forces arsenal that is expected to be complete by 2015 with the replacement of the entire F-16 fleet.

The Air Force currently has 50 planes split into three main combat groups: one with F-5 interceptors, a second with Mirage "Pantera" fighter jets, and a third with Mirage "Elkan" jets.

The program allows these planes another 5,000 flight hours (20 years) furnished with new computers and improved radar systems that enable them to launch bombs and missiles.

The acquisition, which will be paid off by 2010, is possible with the surplus copper profit under the Copper Reserve Law since the metal is being sold at record prices at the world market.

The Law establishes automatic fund transfer of 10 per cent the total copper exports to the Armed Forces, joining the fiscal budget for military expenses.