Air Force selects best to fly Sukhois<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Air Force is selecting eight of its best
\npilots to be the first Indonesians to fly the Russian-made Sukhoi
\nSU-30K fighter planes ordered in August.<\/p>\n
Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff Vice Marshal S. Djatmiko said
\nthe pilots would be selected from the country's F-5 Tiger II, A-4
\nSky Hawk, Hawk Mk-53 and F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots.<\/p>\n
"We will choose the best," Djatmiko said yesterday after
\nleading the Air Force's Maintenance Command's 34th anniversary
\ncelebrations at Husein Sastranegara airport, Bandung, West Java.<\/p>\n
He added that the pilots' health and flying records would be
\nimportant elements in the selection procedure.<\/p>\n
The government opted to buy 12 Sukhoi-30K fighters and eight
\nMI-17-IV helicopters from Russia after canceling a plan to
\nacquire more American-made F-16s.<\/p>\n
The plan to purchase the F-16s was scrapped after the U.S.
\nCongress linked the sale of the fighters to human rights issues.<\/p>\n
Russia intends to deliver the 12 fighters -- eight single
\nseaters and four double seaters -- along with the eight
\nhelicopters over the next two to three years.<\/p>\n
The first batch of four planes is expected to arrive by early
\n1999 at the latest.<\/p>\n
Djatmiko said that the Air Force would not build any new
\nhangers for the fighters due to budgetary restrictions.<\/p>\n
"The first step, is to use the hangers available now," he
\nsaid, adding that they would be temporarily located at the Air
\nForce's fighter depot in Madiun's Iswahyudi airport in East Java.<\/p>\n
The Air Force currently operates six fighter depots. Three are
\nin Bandung and the others are in Malang and Solo.<\/p>\n
Djatmiko said 30 Air Force mechanics were currently learning
\nRussian before being sent to Russia to learn how to maintain the
\nSukhois.<\/p>\n
It was reported yesterday that the Russian government has
\nturned down a deal to exchange the fighters for Indonesian
\nplywood in a counter-purchase deal.<\/p>\n
The head of the Indonesian Wood Panel Association, A. Tjipto
\nWignjoprajitno, said his group was ready to supply up to one
\nmillion cubic metres of plywood to Russia in a counter-purchase
\nscheme in return for the Sukhois.<\/p>\n
"But the Russian side does not want their fighters to be
\nexchanged for our plywood products," the Bisnis Indonesia daily
\nquoted Wignjoprajitno as saying. (43\/09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/air-force-selects-best-to-fly-sukhois-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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