Sukhoi jet fighters touch ground<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Braving controversies, two of the four Sukhoi jet fighters
\nIndonesia bought from Russia arrived on Wednesday -- one day late
\n-- at Iswahyudi Air Base in Madiun, East Java.<\/p>\n
Chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Gen. Endriartono
\nSutarto and chief of the Indonesian Air Force Marshall Chappy
\nHakim were at hand when the jet fighters arrived at 7:35 a.m.
\naboard an Antonov cargo plane.<\/p>\n
A modest ceremony was held on the ramp of the Antonov, where a
\nrepresentative of the flight crew handed over a framed picture of
\nthe two jet fighters to Endriartono.<\/p>\n
Endriartono, however, said that it would be some time before
\nthe SU-27 SK jet fighters would be combat-ready.<\/p>\n
Chappy said the TNI expected to receive two more Sukhoi, the
\nSU-30 MK, on Sunday, as well as two MI-35 assault helicopters
\nnext month, as part of the US$192.6 million countertrade deal
\nwith Russia. The controversial deal was inked by President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri and Russian President Vladimir Putin
\nduring her state visit to Russia in April this year.<\/p>\n
Endriartono said the fighters must be equipped with missiles,
\ncanons and other lethal weapons before they can be deemed combat
\nready. Ideally, he said, the optimum battle capability of the
\naircraft could be met, if only there were another one or two
\nother squadron of Sukhoi, with each squadron comprising 12 to 16
\nfighters.<\/p>\n
\"But, whether this can be accomplished will very much depend
\non the financial ability of the government,\" he said during a
\npress conference at the air base. The four jet fighters are
\nscheduled to make a public appearance during TNI's anniversary on
\nOct. 5.<\/p>\n
Endriartono also said that, buying Russian-made jet fighters
\nmeant that Indonesia was seeking alternative sources for military
\narms.<\/p>\n
Indonesia traditionally buys its weapons from the United
\nStates and the United Kingdom, but it is often uncomfortable with
\nthe terms and conditions of the two countries. England, for
\nexample, sold weapons to Indonesia on the condition that they
\nwould be used for defensive measures, and threatened to deny
\nselling weapons to Indonesia after a British-made jet fighter was
\nused by the TNI against separatist rebels in Nanggroe Aceh
\nDarussalam recently.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's other source of arms, the U.S., imposed a military
\nembargo following the 1999 East Timor mayhem during the UN-
\nsponsored referendum, in which blame fell on the TNI.<\/p>\n
Currently, Indonesia has 90 combat aircraft, only half of
\nwhich are operational.<\/p>\n
Endriartono played down the suggestion that the TNI had
\nbypassed the House of Representatives in clinching the deal.<\/p>\n
The TNI has been under fire as it has continued with the deal
\neven while a House investigation into alleged irregularities in
\nthe countertrade is ongoing.<\/p>\n
Separately, House members said they were ready to continue
\ntheir probe into the alleged irregularities of the countertrade
\ndeal.<\/p>\n
Legislator Yasril Ananta Baharuddin said the House would
\nsummon Minister of Trade and Industry Rini MS Soewandi to explain
\nrole in the countertrade.<\/p>\n
The issue became highly controversial after the House
\ninvestigation found that the countertrade was not included in the
\nstate budget and the government never consulted the DPR over the
\ndeal.<\/p>\n
\"The arrival of the Sukhoi, September at the latest, has
\nalready been agreed upon by Indonesia and Russia. We will lose
\nthe Russian authorities' trust if we breach the commitment,\"
\nEndriartono said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sukhoi-jet-fighters-touch-ground-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}