Hawk fighters arrive safely

PEKANBARU, Riau: Air Force Chief of Staff Rear Marshall Sutria Tubagus greeted the arrival of three of 24 expected new fighters at the local Air Force base yesterday.

Antara reported that the three fighters were flown from England by Lt. Col. Hari Muryono and Major Harsono of the Squadron 12, and a pilot from British Aerospace, which manufactured the jets.

The fighters, which left Britain on May 8, arrived in Indonesia after stopovers in Bahrain, Muskat, Bombay, Calcutta, Bangkok and Singapore.

Sutria Tubagus said the three fighters were the first of the just purchased 24 Hawk-100 and Hawk-200 fighters. The remaining 21 jets will arrive in Pekanbaru later, he said. He declined to announce the arrival dates.

The Air Force plans to purchase another 16 fighters, he said. (swe)