New aircraft replace botched radar deal

Panama’s National Aeronaval Service (Senan), has taken delivery of three new aircraft acquired with funds recovered from the Italian conglomerate Finmeccanica, after a botched contract for a failed radar system, negotiated by the Martinelli administration.

The current administration canceled the  2010 contract  for 19 installations and in February 2016   came  to an agreement  with  Finmeccanica S.p.A. (with its subsidiaries Selex, Agusta Westland and Telespazio, that gave President Juan Carlos Varela a photo-op as he handed over two AgustaWestland helicopters and one Twin Otter aircraft, intended for the fight against crime and for search and rescue operations, said Varela, in the official act that took place at the Lieutenant Octavio Rodríguez Garrido Air Base, located in Howard.