Govt eyes Russian jet fighters<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government is still considering buying jet
\nfighters from Russia after it surprisingly pulled out of a plan
\nlast month to buy F-16 Fighting Falcons from the United States.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung said yesterday the
\ngovernment had many things to consider before it would decide
\nwhether to buy the Russian aircraft.<\/p>\n
"We are now evaluating the possibility of procuring jet
\nfighters from other countries," Feisal told reporters after
\naddressing the 51st anniversary of the National Police in Kelapa
\nDua, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The government pulled out of the plan to buy nine U.S. F-16
\nfighter planes because of "wholly unjustified criticisms" of
\nIndonesia in the United States Congress.<\/p>\n
The government, which also withdrew from the U.S. Expanded
\nInternational Military Education and Training program, said it
\nobjected to U.S. criticism of the country's human rights record,
\nparticularly in East Timor.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has expressed interest in buying Russian defense
\nequipment, including Sukhoi-30 and Mig-29 jet fighters, radars
\nand guided missiles. The government is also considering buying
\nFrench-made Mirage 2000 jet fighters.<\/p>\n
But officials here have rejected speculation that any
\nprocurement from Russia would have been caused by the canceled F-
\n16 deal. They said a Russian team had come to Jakarta in February
\nto offer Indonesia military equipment.<\/p>\n
Feisal went to Russia immediately after the biennial Paris Air
\nShow ended June 22.<\/p>\n
"I went there to see the country's defense system, including
\nits jet fighter fleet," he said.<\/p>\n
Air Force Chief of Staff Marshall Sutria Tubagus said earlier
\nthat Indonesia was likely to buy the Russian Sukhoi-30 jets.<\/p>\n
"Based on technical and price considerations, we prefer the
\nSukhoi-30 to complete our fleet of jet fighters," Sutria was
\nquoted by Republika daily as saying Monday in Bandung, West Java.<\/p>\n
He said Moscow was willing to barter over the Sukhoi-30 jet
\nfighters so that "the government may go ahead with the plan".<\/p>\n
"We have informed our government about this possibility. So
\nwe'll just wait for their decision," Tubagus said.<\/p>\n
Tubagus did not say what the government was offering in
\nreturn, but cited Malaysia's exchange of oil for Sukhoi planes.
\n(imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-eyes-russian-jet-fighters-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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