SKorea extends $7.3 billion fighter jet bidding

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea has extended its window for accepting bids from aircraft makers to supply 60 fighter jets at an estimated cost of $7.3 billion (8.3 trillion won).

Arms procurement official Baek Youn-hyeong says bidding will resume Tuesday after an 11-day round ended Friday with no winner.

Republic of Korean Air Force F-5E Tiger II

The 60 new fighters would replace South Korea's aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s. Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle, EADS' Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter are competing.

Yonhap news agency says no bidders proposed prices lower than the estimated cost. It didn't cite sources. Baek declined to confirm the report.

South Korea faces rival North Korea over a heavily armed border after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce.

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