RI may cancel purchase of Sukhoi from Russia

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will probably cancel the purchase of 12 Sukhhoi bombers and eight helicopters from Russia because of the prolonged economic crisis, according to Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Marshal Hanafie Asnan.

"It is possible we will cancel the purchase of the sophisticated warplanes because of the crisis," he told reporters after swearing in Vice Marshal I Gede Sudana as his deputy, to replace Vice Marshal Djatmiko, at the Air Force headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Thursday.

Sudana is a former assistant to the Air Force chief of staff for intelligence affairs. Indonesia signed on Aug. 29, 1997, a US$500 million deal with Russia's Rosvoorouzhenie to purchase 12 FV-30K Sukhoi bombers and eight MI-70-IV helicopters. Construction of the aircraft has not yet begun.

Hanafie said that if Indonesia wanted to enlarge its warplane fleet it would likely purchase other, cheaper, fighters.

Asked about the purchase of Hawk-100 and Hawk-200 warplanes from British Aerospace, Hanafie said the Air Force had received two squadrons which were now deployed in Riau, Pekanbaru.

"We are waiting for 16 more Hawk-100s and Hawk-200s which are the last of 40 ordered by Indonesia from the British company in 1993. The fighters are expected to arrive here in January 1999 and will be stationed in Supadio air base in Pontianak, West Kalimantan," he said.

The first 24 arrived in Indonesia in March, 1997.

Hanafie said the Air Force would reduce training activities both at home and overseas as part of its austerity measures.

"The Air Force has instead been carrying out routine training to meet the minimum 10 hours of flying per week for all pilots while joint exercises with neighboring countries, including Malaysia, Singapore and Australia will be limited," he said.

He declined to revealed the training and maintenance budget, saying "it is small and only enough to provide minimum maintenance".

"Because of the small maintenance budget, the use of old planes will be stopped temporarily and their pilots will be deployed to the Air Force's simulation training centers," he said.

The Air Force operates a squadron of F-16 Falcon bombers, a squadron of F-5 Tiger fighters, two squadrons of Hawk-100s and Hawk-200s, a squadron of V-10 Bronco turbo planes, a squadron of Skyhawks, two squadrons of C-130 Hercules cargo planes, a squadron of Fokker-28 planes, a squadron of CN-235 aircraft, two squadrons of trainer planes and three squadrons of helicopters. (rms)