Cancelled F-16 purchase<\/p>\n
The deed has been done. In protest, the Indonesian government
\nhas canceled the deal to buy eight American F-16As and one F-16B
\nfighter\/attack aircraft for the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU).
\nThe planes, from a batch of 28 which Pakistan bought for US$658
\nmillion, were impounded by the U.S. due to the suspected
\nPakistani nuclear program. The Americans, holding Pakistani
\nmoney, then tried to foist the F-16s onto other countries.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said: \"We
\ndon't want those planes -- they were offered to us.\" But at
\nbetween $8-9 million for each F-16 (plus radar and armament
\nupgrades), the air force top brass originally thought it was a
\nbargain.<\/p>\n
Who stands to lose in this whole affair? Despite U.S. claims
\nthat other countries are interested in purchasing the aircraft,
\nfor the last two years the impounded Pakistani aircraft has been
\ndecaying somewhere in the American desert. It will take more
\nmoney to make them acceptable for any other air force. If those
\nF-16s indeed have numerous interested buyers, the U.S. would have
\nsold more than nine long ago.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, aircraft manufacturers in other nations are hoping
\nto get orders for fighter aircraft from Indonesia. Malaysia, in
\nwhat was probably a signal to the West that it did not need to
\nrely entirely on them, ordered and took delivery of Russian MIG-
\n29s. India has purchased French Mirage 2000s and the top-of-the-
\nline Russian SU-30MK multi-purpose fighters. Indonesia, having
\nchosen the ten F-16s it already possesses as its front line
\nfighters, will most likely not buy American aircraft for a long
\ntime to come.<\/p>\n
Does this do the U.S. any good? Before this latest
\ncancellation, the respected aerospace weekly Aviation Week &
\nSpace Technology wrote that Indonesian Air Force officials were
\ninterested in buying up to 42 of the more advanced F-16C & D
\nmodels for the future. Last September, U.S. assistant secretary
\nof state Winston Lord was quoted as saying: \"We intend to go
\nahead with the (F-16) sale... we believe that Indonesia has
\nlegitimate self-defense needs.\"<\/p>\n
In a press conference, Alatas implied that a bill drafted by
\nU.S. Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island to eliminate
\n$26 million in civilian aid to Indonesia, plus another $600,000
\nin military training was not helpful for nurturing good relations
\nbetween the two countries.<\/p>\n
Privately, I have heard from a source close to the U.S.
\nEmbassy that Kennedy, who made his first visit to Indonesia last
\nDecember, declined to closely listen to a briefing about this
\ncountry and its realities held by American officials on his
\nbehalf. Instead, he rushed off to East Timor, where he only
\nseemed interested in reinforcing his preconceived notions about
\nIndonesia, that alien nation half a world away from Rhode Island.<\/p>\n
FARID BASKORO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cancelled-f-16-purchase-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }