Jakarta military wants 48 Russian aircraft

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APRIL 24, 2003

Jakarta military wants 48 Russian aircraft

Armed forces chief hopes to get them within four years

MOSCOW - Indonesia's armed forces commander, General Endriartono Sutarto, has disclosed that the Indonesian air force wants to have 48 Russian-made Sukhoi fighter planes to enable it to secure the country and maintain its sovereignty.

'Ideally, we should have four squadrons or 48 Sukhoi fighter planes and we hope to achieve the number in the next four years,' he told newsmen here on Tuesday night.

He said the air force has for the moment decided to buy two Sukhoi-27s, two Sukhoi-30s and two MI-35 helicopters for a total value of US$197 million (S$350 million).

Of the amount, he noted, some 12.5 per cent will be paid in cash, and the rest will be paid through a countertrade scheme.

Indonesia's state Bank Bukopin has been tasked to lend the government US$21 million as bailout funds to cover the cash payment, he said.

Asked about the possible negative reaction of Western countries and the US over Indonesia's purchase of Russian fighter planes, he said this was understandable.

The US imposed a military embargo on Indonesia in 1999 due to the latter's alleged support for militia violence in then East Timor.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Indonesian military's Operational Command II, Rear Marshal Teddy Sumarno, who accompanied Gen Endriartono to Russia, expressed hope that the fighter planes would arrive in Jakarta by September at the latest.

A number of pilots and technical officers will be sent to Russia in June to study the operation of the airplanes, he said.

Industry and Trade Minister Rini Soewandi confirmed that the negotiations for the purchase of the fighter planes began during her visit to Russia in September last year. She had then offered 31 commodities for the countertrade scheme.

Russia has agreed to buy several commodities from Indonesia, among them rubber, palm oil, tea, coffee, cocoa, textile and bauxite, she said.

She pointed out that the countertrade agreement was supposed to be signed on Tuesday night here, but the signing was moved to yesterday instead as it had to be checked by lawyers first.

The Indonesian government has tasked the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to sign the trade contract, while Russia will be represented by one of its state companies.

Ms Rini also said that Bank Bukopin has been chosen to provide the loan for the cash payment as it has completed the government's recapitalisation programme.

Meanwhile, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry secretary-general Djoko Darmono said that Indonesia might buy a floating nuclear power plant from Russia as part of its efforts to prevent electricity shortage in the next decade.

Russia, which approved construction of the world's first floating nuclear power plant in October, offered to sell a ship-based reactor to President Megawati Sukarnoputri during her visit to Moscow earlier this week.
 
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